Rangers manager Ron Washington has come to the realization that his club isn’t going to catch the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West. That might go for the rest of the American League pretty soon, too.
Pinch-hitter Juan Rivera’s three-run double keyed a five-run outburst in the eighth inning and the Angels stormed from behind to take a 7-5 victory over Texas on Thursday night.
“You’re certainly dealing with the reality that there’s no way we’re going to be able to catch the Angels, so we just wanted to come out and win a ball game,” Washington said. “And we didn’t get that done.”
The Angels’ Jon Garland (12-8) pitched eight innings, allowing five runs and eight hits, and Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 51st save in 56 chances, six saves short of Bobby Thigpen’s major league record set in 1990.
“I was just trying to keep it close,” Garland said. “I’ve got to tip my hat to the boys, they did some damage there in the eighth.”
The Angels’ victory over the Rangers built their gaping AL West lead to 16 games and reduced the magic number to 13 for clinching their fourth division title in five years.
In other AL games, the Yankees beat the Red Sox 3-2 in the final regular-season game between the two teams at Yankee Stadium. Tampa Bay beat Toronto 3-2, and Oakland beat Minnesota 3-2.
Garland got off to a rough start against Texas, giving up a three-run homer to Milton Bradley during the Rangers’ four-run first inning. But the Angels’ right-hander settled down afterward, allowing only a solo homer to Chris Davis in the fourth.
Rivera, batting for Sean Rodriguez, hit reliever Warner Madrigal’s second pitch of the game after he came in with the bases loaded, one out and a run in on Jamey Wright’s bases-loaded walk to Mike Napoli. Reggie Willits’ RBI single provided the final run.
Wright (6-6) replaced starter Brandon McCarthy to start the eighth with the Rangers up 5-2. He allowed two singles, two walks, and was charged with four runs.
Mark Teixeira’s solo homer off McCarthy in the third inning, and Garret Anderson’s RBI double in the sixth provided the earlier Los Angeles runs.
The game was one of three designated for the major league’s first use of replay review of close calls on home runs. Although there were three hit in the game, all were clearly homers.
Yankees 3, Red Sox 2
Jason Giambi came off the bench to hit a tying homer in the seventh inning and the winning single in the ninth, giving the Yankees a much-needed win.
Desperate to get back in the playoff race, New York salvaged the finale of a three-game series and won Boston’s final regular-season game at Yankee Stadium.
Mariano Rivera (5-5) entered a tie game in the eighth and pitched 1 1-3 hitless innings for the win, helping the Yankees overcome another poor performance by Alex Rodriguez.
Justin Masterson (4-4) loaded the bases in the ninth, and Giambi lined Jonathan Papelbon’s 0-2 pitch, driving in pinch-runner Brett Gardner with the winning run.
Rays 3, Blue Jays 2
At St. Petersburg, Fla., Edwin Jackson (11-8) took a shutout into the eighth inning, Cliff Floyd and Willy Aybar each homered and the Rays guaranteed they will finish no worse than .500 for the first time in franchise history.
Floyd put Tampa Bay up 2-0 with a first-inning sacrifice fly and a solo homer in the third, and Tampa Bay took a 3-0 lead when Aybar homered off Jesse Litsch (9-8) in the sixth.
Athletics 3, Twins 2
Pinch-hitter Kurt Suzuki doubled in the winning run with one out in the ninth inning to give host Oakland back-to-back victories for first time since July 10-11.
Joey Devine (4-0) pitched the eighth to pick up the victory for the A’s, who went 40 games without a winning streak. Suzuki’s double marked Oakland’s ninth walkoff hit of the season.
Ryan Sweeney led off the ninth with a single off loser Craig Breslow (0-2), then moved to second on Daric Barton’s sacrifice. Suzuki hit a 3-1 pitch from Jesse Crain for the winner.
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