Minnesota Twins (36-43) at Texas Rangers (37-43) RHP Kyle Gibson (6-6, 3.92) vs. RHP Colby Lewis (5-5, 5.94) Game #81 • Home #41 (18-22) • Sun., June 29, 2014 • Globe Life Park in Arlington • 2:05 p.m. CDT • FSSW / 103.3 FM / 1270 AM WINS AND LOSSES: The Rangers beat the Twins 5-0 last night for club’s ANOTHER SHUTOUT: Texas posted its A.L.-best 14th shutout yesterday, 2nd straight win, as team is 2-3 entering the finale of this 6-game home- 2nd-most in MLB (STL-15), as no other club has more than 10…this year’s stand against Detroit (0-3) and Minnesota (2-0)…Texas has won back- Rangers are the first A.L. team with at least 14 SHO in first 80 team games to-back games for first time since 3 straight, June 11-14…prior to these since the 1968 Indians had 16 thru 80 G, making this club the only A.L. 2 wins against the Twins, team had a season-high 8-game losing streak team to pull the trick in the designated hitter era (since 1973)…the 14 shut- from June 17-26, club’s longest drought since dropping 8 in a row from outs are already 6th-most in any season in Rangers history (club record 8/8-16/05…club has lost 9 of 12 and is 9-15 in June, 23-35 since 4/25… is 19 in 2011). club was season-high 8 games under .500 after Thursday’s loss (35-43) for • Yu Darvish has started 6 of the team’s 14 SHO. first time since a 10-18 record on 4/30/08…club has been at .500 or below • Club’s longest span without a shutout this season was 13 games from for 20 straight days since last winning mark on 6/6 at 31-30…has been May 13-27. season-high 6 games over .500 twice. • Rangers have blanked 10 of MLB’s other 29 teams this season, multiple • Texas has secured a series win this weekend after having gone 1-6-1 in shutouts against HOU (3), MIN (2), and SEA (2). previous 8 series, as this series win snapped an 0-3-0 stretch. • The only time the Washington/Texas franchise ever had more than 10 shutouts through 80 games was 1981 (11). WITH A WIN TODAY, Texas could take all games of a series for the 2nd • Club has at least 4 shutouts in each of the season’s first 4 months. time in 2014 (3-0 at OAK, April 21-23)…club is also trying to win all games of a series immediately after having been swept in its previous 2 series… DARVISH DOES IT: Yu Darvish posted 8.0 shutout innings in yesterday’s in team history (1972-2014), the Rangers have never won all games of a win, his MLB-high 5th scoreless outing of 8.0+ innings in 2014, as only series (3+ G) after having lost all contests in each of its previous 2 series pitcher with more than 3 is STL’s Adam Wainwright (4)…in fact, only A.L. (3+ G)…last time that happened with series of less than 3 games was pitchers with more than 2 such outings are Darvish (5), Max Scherzer (3), 2008, when Rangers took 2 games 4/16-17/08 at TOR immediately after and Martin Perez (3)…Darvish is the only Texas pitcher ever with 5 such having dropped series 4/11-13/08 vs. TOR (0-3) and 4/14-15 vs. LAA (0-2). outings in the team’s first 80 games, first MLB pitcher to pull the trick since PHI’s Cliff Lee (5) in 2011 and first A.L. pitcher to do it since BOS’ Roger HALFWAY POINT: Today is game no. 81 for the Rangers this season, Clemens (6) in 1988. marking the halfway point of the 162-game schedule…current record • Darvish has won 3 consecutive starts at home and now has 20.0 consec- marks Rangers’ fewest wins thru 80 games since 2007 (33-47/34-47 after utive scoreless innings in Arlington…according to STATS Inc., that match- 81 games)…over the last 11 seasons beginning 2004, this year’s record at es the longest scoreless streak ever by a starting pitcher at Globe Life Park the halfway point will hold 2nd-fewest wins of any campaign in that span. (see chart)…it marks just the 13th time any pitcher has had back-to-back scoreless starts at Globe Life Park (1994-2014), the 2nd time Darvish has STANDINGS: Texas has been in 4th place for 13 straight and 25 of the last done it (also July 22 & Aug. 1, 2013)…the only other starter with multiple 26 days beginning 6/3…the club has not been as low as 4th place this late instances of back-to-back scoreless starts in this park?: Kenny Rogers in the season since the end of 2007 (4th)…the Rangers have dropped 6.0 (1995 and 2005). games in the standings the last 12 days to nearly double their deficit from • Yesterday was Darvish’s 11th scoreless qualifying start in this park, al- 7.0 to a season-high 13.0 games behind the division-leading A’s for a 3rd ready a record for the facility…most scoreless starts of 5.0+ innings ever straight day, the team’s largest deficit at any point in a season since the at Globe Life Park: Darvish-11; Matt Harrison-9; Kenny Rogers-8; Scott end of 2008 (21.0 GB)…club has not gained ground with wins the past 2 Feldman/Vicente Padilla/Aaron Sele-6 each. days, and it has been 12 days since Rangers last gained ground by beat- ing Oakland on 6/16…Texas had not previously trailed by as many as 13.0 LONGEST SCORELESS STREAKS AT GLOBE LIFE PARK games this early in a season since 2007 (13.5 GB through 53 G). Credit STATS Inc. - streaks that have relief outings are in italics Innings Pitcher Dates AT HOME: Rangers have won 2 straight home games for first time since 25.2 C.J. Wilson 7/27/09 - 4/27/10 June 5-6, and are seeking a 3-game win streak at home for first time since 22.0 Shigetoshi Hasegawa 4/10/99-9/18/03 season-high 5 straight April 15-19…Rangers’ 18-22 (.450) home record is 22.0 Neftali Feliz 8/13/10 - 5/25/11 2nd-lowest winning pct. in A.L. (TB - .432, 19-25) and 5th-lowest in MLB… 21.2 Ron Mahay 6/11/04 - 9/6/04 the 18 wins are T2nd-fewest ever through 40 games in a season at Globe 20.0 Kenny Rogers 5/16/95 - 6/1/95 Life Park (1994-2014)…only other years with as few as 18 home wins 20.0 Yu Darvish 6/6/14 - current at this point at this park were 2001 (16-24) and 2003 (18-22)…club has dropped 7 of 10 and 14 of last 22 at home, and are 9-19 last 28 home DARVISH AND STRIKEOUTS: Yesterday was Darvish’s 25th career games after opening season with a 9-3 mark in Arlington…have secured game with 10+ strikeouts, passing Bobby Witt (24) for 2nd-most in club a series win this weekend, ending stretch of 9 straight winless series in history behind only Nolan Ryan (34)…Elias Sports Bureau notes that Dar- Arlington (0-6-3). vish had his 25th such outing in career start no. 76, which Elias says is the 2nd-fewest starts in major league history to reach that mark, trailing only VS. MINNESOTA: Texas has clinched the season series from Minneso- Dwight Gooden (25th in 63rd start in 1985). ta as Rangers have a 5-1 edge entering today’s final meeting of ‘14… Rangers have won 3 straight and are 16-7 vs. Minnesota since the start of BACK-TO-BACK FOR ROTATION: Texas starters have posted back-to- 2012…lost a 3-game set to Twins in Arlington last year, but have 13-7 edge back scoreless starts of 7.1+ innings…rotation had not seen consecutive at Globe Life Park since start of 2010…Rangers lead all-time series 261- starts of 7.1+ innings, regardless of number of runs allowed, since Aug. 11- 255, including a 145-116 edge in Arlington and 59-45 lead at Globe Life. 12, 2013 at HOU (Perez/Darvish)…club had not seen back-to-back score- less starts of 7.1+ IP since 3 in a row spanning the 2011 All-Star break, July BACK TO BALTIMORE: After today’s game, the Rangers are scheduled 10(vs. OAK)-14-15(at SEA), 2011 (Harrison/Holland/Lewis). to fly to Baltimore for a 4-game series this week, start of a 7-game road trip against Orioles and Mets (3 G, Fri-Sat-Sun)…Texas is 1-2 against the BELTRE STILL GOING: Adrian Beltre went 3-for-3 with a walk last night O’s in ‘14, winning last of a 3-game set June 3-5 in Texas…the win on 6/5 and is batting .400 (36-90) in June, T2nd in MLB behind only HOU’s Jose snapped a 7-game losing streak vs. Baltimore…have lost season series in Altuve (.414)…since the start of May, Beltre has 71 hits in his last 52 2 of last 4 years, but are still 13-9 vs.