Texas Rangers (84-68) at Oakland A’s (77-75) RHP Tommy Hunter (12-4, 3.92) vs. LHP Bobby Cramer (2-0, 2.45) Game #153 • Road #79 (36-42) • Fri., Sept. 24, 2010 • Oakland Coliseum • 9:07 p.m. (CDT) • TXA21 / 105.3 FM / KFLC WINS AND LOSSES: The Rangers have lost 4 of 5 and are 2-5 on the sea- BLANKED AGAIN: Thursday’s 5-0 loss marked the 2nd time in the last 3 son’s final regular season roadtrip to Seattle (1-2), Anaheim (1-2), and Oakland games that the Rangers have been shut out following a 2-0 setback in (0-1)...club has won 9 of 14 beginning September 8 after losing the previous 5 Anaheim on Tuesday..it was the 5th time that Texas has been blanked in 2010, games...the 9-5 (.643) mark since Sept. 8 is the 5th best in the majors in that matching the White Sox for 2nd fewest in the majors, one more than the Red period...team is 10-10 in September and 16-14 beginning August 22...club is Sox...Thursday was the 3rd time the team has been blanked in last 33 games 34-30 since the All-Star break and 79-59 (.572) since April 22, 6th best in after once in season’s 1st 119 contests...last night marked the 5th time that majors in span. Texas has been shut out by the A’’s beginning August 4, 2009. --at 84-68 (.553), the Rangers are tied with Boston for the 4th-best overall --Texas has scored just 2 runs, both unearned, in the last 31.0 innings since record in the A.L....current record matches 3rd-best 152-game mark in team Chris Davis homered in the 8th inning on Monday night at Anaheim...this is history, best since 2004 (85-67)…Texas’ best record of the season has been the 1st time in club history that the Rangers have gone 3 consecutive 19 games above .500 3 times, 64-45 on August 6, 82-63 on Sept. 15, and 83- games without scoring an earned run. 64 on Sept. 18...the team’s current mark of 16 games over .500 matches the lowest (also Sept. 21) since Sept. 11 (79-63) with last time at 15 games over ONE-HIT: Nelson’s Cruz’ infield hit with 2 out in the 1st inning last night was .500 being Sept. 10 (78-63). Texas’ only hit of the game...it was the team’s fewest hits since tallying just one on Sept. 30, 2009 at LA Angels, a combined 5-0 loss to Matt Palmer, Darren RANGERS’ BEST RANGERS’ BEST Oliver, Jose Arredondo, Kevin Jepsen, and Rafael Rodriguez...Thursday was 152-GAME RECORDS 153-GAME RECORDS the 18th time in history the Rangers have been held to just one hit. Rk W-L Year(s) Rk W-L Year(s) 1 89-63 1999 1 90-63 1999 --Last night was the 6th time that the Rangers have had their only hit in a game 2 85-67 1977, 2004 2 86-67 1977 in the 1st inning: June 24, 1974 vs. Nolan Ryan at California (Alex Johnson 3 84-68 1996, 2010 3 85-68 2004 1B); April 23, 1993 at Milwaukee (Rafael Palmeiro HR); May 19, 2009 at 4 83-69 2009 4 84-69 1996, 2009 Detroit (Michael Young 1B); June 28, 2009 vs. San Diego (Young 1B); and Sept. 30, 2009 at LA Angels (Julio Borbon 1B). TOP RECORDS IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES SINCE SEPT. 8 Pct. W-L Team BATTING: Texas is 11-for-98 (.112) in the last 3 games and is hitting .202 (49- .923 12-1 Philadelphia 242) with 14 runs scored in the 1st 7 games of this trip, batting .154 (8-52) with .750 10-3 Minnesota RISP...club is batting .276 (218-789) over last 22 games and ranks 3rd in the .692 9-4 Chicago Cubs majors and A.L. with .274 season average behind Minnesota (.276) and .692 9-4 Los Angeles Angels Kansas City (.276)...Rangers are also 3rd in the majors with 1445 hits and lead .643 9-5 Texas the majors with a team record 172 infield hits. LEADERS OF THE PACK: In losing 3 of 4, Texas has seen its lead in the A.L. ON THE MOUND: The Rangers have allowed 2 or fewer runs in 5 of the 1st 7 West go from 10.0 to 7.0 games with 10 contests remain- MOST DAYS IN games of this trip, despite a 2-5 record for a 2.80 ERA (19 ER/61.0 IP)...club ing...it is the 3rd largest advantagein the majors to FIRST PLACE has posted a 2.74 ERA (39 ER/128.0 IP) over the last 14 games to lower sea- Minnesota’s 12.0 game lead in the A.L. Central and FOR RANGERS son mark from 4.03 to 3.91, 5th in the A.L...this current ERA would be the Cincinnati’s 7.5 game mark in the N.L. Central...club has BY SEASON Rangers’ lowest ERA for a season since 1990 (3.83). held a lead between 7.0 and 10.0 games for 60 straight Including Off Days Relievers: The bullpen has allowed one run in its last 12.0 innings with a 2.46 days with 7.0 game edge on 2 of last 3 days...club’s last Days Year ERA (26 ER/95.0 IP) over the last 32 games to drop from 3.42 to 3.22, 2nd margin of fewer than 7.0 games was 6.0 games on July 179 1999 best in A.L. to Minnesota (3.18), 5th best in the majors, and lowest since 24...team’s largest lead of the season is 10.0 games, 177 1996 August 10 (3.18)…opponents are batting just .210 (72-343) over that 32-game 144 2010 accomplished 3 times (Sept. 2; Sept. 15; Sept. 18) after span…the 3.22 mark would be lowest since 2.91 relief ERA in 1981 and rank 103 1998 being done on only one day previously in franchise history as 5th lowest ever...Texas leads A.L. with 29 relief wins, matching 5th most in 101 1994 club history...bullpen has issued one homer in 45.1 innings over last 12 games. (Sept. 30, 1999)...Texas has had sole possession of first for 65 2009 108 straight days and has spent 144 total days in first. LOWEST SEASON TEAM RELIEF MARKS IN RANGERS HISTORY Earned Run Average Opponents Batting Average WINNING SEASON: At 84-67, the Rangers have produced a winning season 1981--2.91 1979--.225 for only the 3rd time in the last 11 seasons (2000-10), also 2004 (89-73) and 1979--3.04 1981--.230 2009 (87-75)...this marks the 1st time that Texas has had a winning record 1972--3.09 2010--.233 in consecutive years since 1998-99 and the 5th time club has had streaks of 1979--3.11 1972--.236 at least 2 straight winning seasons: 3--1977-79; 3--1989-91; 2--1955-96; 2-- 2010--3.22 1989--.236 1998-99...the 84 victories tie 1974 for 11th in club history, one shy of 1991 total. NEFTALI FELIZ has recorded 37 saves, tying the major league record for a ROAD RECORD: Texas is 36-42 (.462) away from home in 2010, 7th in the rookie set by the Mariners’ Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000...that total matches A.L. and 13th in the majors in road winning percentage...this will be the 4th Francisco Cordero (2005) for the 6th most overall saves in Rangers history. straight year and 10th time in 11 seasons (starting 2000) that the Rangers have --Feliz has converted 37 of 40 save tries, a 92.5% success rate that matches had a losing road record, the exception being 2006 (41-40)...the 42 road Sasaki (also 37-40 in 2000) for the highest ever for a rookie (25 or more save defeats match season total in both 2008 and 2009...club is 8-18 (.308) away opportunities)...Feliz is 21-for-21 in save tries on the road in 2010. from home since winning 3 in a row, August 4-6, the 3rd lowest road winning --Feliz has pitched 11.0 scoreless innings in his last 11 games with a 1.48 ERA percentage in the majors since August 7 to: .105 (2-17) by Pittsburgh and .286 (4 ER/24.1 IP) in his last 23 appearances to go from 3.86 to 2.95. (6-15) by Kansas City...team has losing streaks of 6, 5, 4, and 3 road games in period....of the 18 losses in that span, 9 have been by one (6) or 2 (4) runs. MICHAEL’S MILESTONE: Michael Young played in his 1500th game on Thursday, just the 4th player to ever appear in 1500 games as a Ranger, join- VERSUS THE WEST AND THE A’S: Texas is 26-21 in its own division in 2010, ing Rafael Palmeiro (1573), Jim Sundberg (1512), and Ivan Rodriguez 8-13 beginning July 28..the Rangers are 11-14 in A.L. West parks this season, (1507)...all 3 of those players had 2 different stints with Texas...he became the dropping 6 of the last 7 series entering this one. 8th active player to appear in 1500 games, all with one club.