Then the 6th inning rolled around and Ranger killer Vladamir Guerrero & Co. pulled things together, stringing together a 4-run inning, highlighted by back-to-back homeruns by Juan Rivera and Kendry Morales. The Morales homer ran Padilla from the game, leaving with a line of 5 runs on 10 hits with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts in 5+ innings pitched.
"I tried to control all of my pitches, but they were up a little bit," Padilla said. "I wasn't throwing as hard as my last outing. I have problems if I don't have my fastball. That's my best pitch."
The Rangers offense again squandered several opportunities to put runs on the board, leaving the bases loaded in the 1st inning. Their struggles struck again when, with 2 on and nobody out in bottom of the 5th, David Murphy popped out to 2nd base and Marlon Byrd grounded into an inning-ending double play.
"That was the game right there," said Byrd, who was 3-for-4 on the night. "Three great at-bats and one lousy at-bat. If I get those runs home, it changes the game. I've got to get those runs in there. If I do, it's 3-1, we have a cushion and who knows what happens. I got my pitch and didn't execute. Just not good hitting on my part."
The lost opportunity proved to be a privotal moment in the game as Padilla imploded in the top of the 6th.
"That was a huge momentum swing," Figgins said. "You almost have to be there to understand it, but I've seen it so many times. That double play completely changed everything. Double plays are killers, man. We came up after that and went to work. You could feel the change in the game."
The Rangers went hitless (0-for-5) with runners in scoring position for the seventh time this month and are now hitting just .225 with RISP for the month of June.
With the loss, Texas falls 2 1/2 games behind the Angels in the AL West.
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