Rangers Reaquire 14-Time All-Star

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez is returning to Arlington.

Several media outlets are reporting that the Rangers have reached an agreement with the Houston Astros to bring the future Hall of Famer back to Texas for one more run.

The move is important for Texas because their regular catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia was recently placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sore arm and numbness in his throwing hand.

"We're excited to have Pudge," club president Nolan Ryan said. "We're looking forward to having him, and he's excited about coming back. He brings experience, he's a veteran player and he's been in the postseason. He brings a lot."



It is believed that Texas will be sending two mid-level prospects (expected to be Class A pitcher Matt Nevarez and Double-A infielder Jose Vallejo) to Houston in exchange for the 14-time All-Star. It was confirmed that Texas first spoke to Pudge to ensure he understands his role with the Rangers will be to act as a back-up for Taylor Teagarden before going ahead with the deal.

"I'm feeling great, feeling good. It's nice to be back to the place that I started," said Rodriguez, who waived his no-trade clause. "It's nice to be back there. It's also sad. I think Houston is a great team and a good group of guys. The fans are great, but business is business. You've got to prepare for anything. Especially being a veteran player, those things can happen.

"I'm going to move forward. It's a good trade. It will be nice to go there. ... I'm looking forward to going there and to do my best to try to help them win."

Rodriguez, a 13-time Gold Glove winner, former AL MVP, and the all-time leader in games played for a catcher, spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Rangers. A career .299 hitter, Pudge is hitting .251 this year with 8 homeruns and 34 RBI in 93 games.

Houston Bullpen Stops Rangers Offense From Claiming Series Sweep

Michael Young gave Texas an early lead, teeing off for a solo homerun, his 9th of the season.

The contact-adverse Chris Davis dialed up his 13th homer of the year in the 2nd, another solo shot.

After adding one more in the bottom of the 4th thanks to a throwing error which scored Nelson Cruz from third, Texas' offense went cold. They never regained their stroke.

"That's what baseball is about -- momentum," Ian Kinsler said. "We tried to come back, tried to put some runs on the board, but we didn't."



Houston's bullpen combo of Wesley Wright, Alberto Arias, LaTroy Hawkins and Jose Valverde went a combined five innings, allowing no runs on only three hits, while striking out five.

Vicente Padilla got himself into a couple of jams, finishing his day after going six innings and allowing three earned runs. While Vicente looked good for stretches, he threw 62 total pitches in the 1st and 6th innings, forcing him from the game earlier than he would've liked.

"They came out and worked Padilla hard," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He still came out with a tie ballgame, but it felt like the momentum changed. We still came out of the sixth with a tie."

Reliever Jason Jennings was unable to hold the lead, surrendering a go-ahead homer to Hunter Pence in the top of the 8th, then allowed another run to score via an RBI triple by Michael Bourne.

The Rangers finished their homestand 4-5, losing 3 games in the process to the charging L.A. Angels. Texas has a 1 1/2 games in the AL West.

Pudge Sets A Record, Vizquel Ties A Record, Rangers Win In Extra Innings

History was made Wednesday night as Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez caught his 2,227th game, setting a new record which was previously held by Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk.



When Rodriguez stepped to the plate for his first at-bat, he recieved a standing ovation from the more than 32,000 fans in attendance.

"It was awesome," Rodriguez said. "What happened today out there was unbelievable. A standing ovation my first time up, it was awesome. I got some goose bumps when that happened. The video that they did in the third inning was unbelievable. I want to say thanks to the Rangers organization for what they did here for me and the Houston Astros also about these days. It was nice. It was an unbelievable moment."

Omar Vizquel also made a move on history, picking up his 2,677th career base hit, tying fellow countryman and Hall of Fameer Luis Aparicio for the most hits ever by a player from Venezuela.



"I never thought I'd be involved in a situation like that," Vizquel said. "So many good players have come from our country."

While the game seemed secondary to all the added intrigue, it still managed to deliver a few fireworks of its own. Both teams went back and forth for the entire game, niether ever able to fully gain any sort of advantage.

There were five total lead changes in the game, the last coming in the bottom of the 10th as David Murphy went opposite field for an RBI single to give Texas the 5-4 victory.

"It just felt great," Murphy said. "I really do believe that the walk-off is the best moment in baseball. The team gets to celebrate on the field, it brings everybody together and gives you a little momentum going into tomorrow."

Matt Harrison, just back from the DL pitched well enough, giving Texas five innings, allowing three runs.

"My arm felt really good," Harrison said. "It was frustrating falling behind a lot of hitters, but I made pitches when I had to. Overall I felt pretty good, but I wish I could have gone out there at least another inning.

C.J. Wilson pitched very effectively, giving Texas two shutout innings. Since his early season struggles, Wilson has been much more consistent on the mound.

While Texas' offense remains a bit of an inconsistent mystery, they did manufacture some runs, stealing three bases on the night, all of which resulted in runs coming across the plate.

Manager Ron Washington seemed proud of the sustained effort given by his team.

"We kept battling and finding ways," Washington said. "When it was all over, these guys found a way to pull it off."

Both Nelson Cruz and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit solo homeruns for Texas.

Pudge Make History But Night Belongs To Rangers

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez may well be the greatest Rangers player ever. Over the course of 12 seasons, Pudge won 10 Gold Gloves, started 10 All-Star games and won an AL MVP award. He's ;largely considered the great throwing catcher of all time and has never been anything but a quality teammate.

Tonight, Pudge tied Carlton Fisk's record for most game caught in MLB history, a truly remarkable feat when you consider the wear and tear an everyday catcher must endure throughout a season, let alone 19 of them.

“It’s a little strange seeing him in an Astros jersey here in this stadium,” Astros right fielder Hunter Pence, an Arlington native, said of Ivan Rodriguez. “He definitely is kind of a staple for this whole atmosphere. When I think of coming to the ballpark I remember as a child Pudge (was) guaranteed he was going to be there. He has the intensity. I just remember seeing him hit so many homers and throw so many guys out. He’s a big part of what the Rangers are.”



But despite Rodriguez's feelgood story, tongiht belonged to Kevin Millwood and the Texas Rangers.

Millwood had it working, giving Texas 7 innings of 4-hit baseball, allowing only one run (a solo homerun to, of all people, Ivan Rodriguez) and striking out six.

Millwood has now allowed just three earned runs over his last 27 2-3 innings.

Ian Kinsler, mired in a massive 4-for-33 slump, hit two solo homerun, including one to open the game, giving Texas an early lead. It was Kinsler's ninth career leadoff homerun.

Michael Young also hit his way out of a slump going 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Young had been 3 for 24 the past six games.

With the 6-1 win, Texas, for the third consecutive season, claims the Silver Boot, the trophy given out each year to the winner of the Rangers-Astros series.

Long Ball Gives Rangers The Sweep In Houston

Texas jumped on Houston early as Josh Hamilton hit his 6th home run of the season in the top of the 1st inning. It proved to be all Brandon McCarthy would need.



McCarthy pitched a complete game shutout Sunday afternoon, both firsts in his career. Scattering nine hits and striking out six, McCarthy controlled Houston's lineup, walking only one hitter and working out of a couple of jams in both the 5th and 6th innings.

"They talk about his stamina," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I think that question's finally answered."

"It's a confidence thing more than anything else," McCarthy said. "It's just knowing I can get through that deep in a game and still make quality pitches."

Ian Kinsler and Jarrod Saltalamacchia added solo home runs, giving McCarthy all the breathing room he would need to settle in and shut the Astros down.

"It gets a little discouraging when you are down three or four to nothing pretty early, from an offensive standpoint," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "We have to do a better job of holding the game close. Lately, we've been down pretty early, and it's hard to come back when you do that."

Michael Young was back in the linep after taking yesterdays game off to rest a sprained ankle. He went 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

"The doctor told me it (ankle) was a Grade 2, and it's pretty much up to me whatever I can handle," Young said before the game. "I went out there and it was good enough for me, so it's time to play."

Texas now only needs one win in the final series against Houston later this season to retain the Silver Boot Trophy for the 2nd consecutive year.

Nelson Cruz Homers Texas To Win In Houston

Looks like Nelson Cruz has found his stroke.

After drilling the game-winning homerun Friday night, Cruz came back and hit two more on Saturday, pacing Texas to the 6-3 victory.

"My swing is there," Cruz said. "I don't worry about home runs, they'll come. I just worry about being consistent and getting my knocks. It doesn't matter where I hit, I've got to do my job."



Hank Blalock added a solo homerun giving Scott Feldman, who went a season high 6 2/3 innings, more than enough to work with as he picked up his third win of the year.

"He was good," Astros catcher Ivan Rodriguez said. "He was pitching great. He wasn't missing his spots -- good breaking ball, good fastball, good sinker. I was having a good at-bat in the second at-bat, fouled off some tough pitches and he ended up striking me out. "

"I feel like I'm going out there with more and more confidence and throwing all my pitches effectively," Feldman said. "My confidence in all my pitches is getting better and it makes it a lot easier to pitch when you're ahead in the count."

Both Michael Young (who had sprained his ankle in yesterday's game) and Ian Kinler sat out the game. Their replacements, Hank Blalock and Omar Vizquel, went a combined 5 for 9 with a run scored and one RBI.

C.J. Wilson closed the game out, picking of his 3rd save of the year.

Texas Finds Their Offense, Takes Game 1 In Houston

Well, maybe Texas just needs to avoid the Tigers?

The Rangers rolled into Houston last night, losers of three in a row, searching for an offense that had all but disappeared the last three games.

With Vicente Padilla placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained shoulder, rookie Derek Holland made his first career major league start and didn't disappoint. Holland pitched 5 2/3 innings, struck out four and didn't walk a single hitter. The final hitter he faced, Astros slugger Lance Berkman, hit a three-run homerun. Before that, Holland hadn't allowed a single run. He left the game with a two run lead.

"I saw him use all his pitches," Rangers manager Ron Washington said about Holland. "A couple times they went up there trying to get him to throw some pitches and he would throw a first-pitch strike."



Texas got homeruns from both Elvis Andrus (who went 4 for 5 w/ a stolen base) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia to pace Texas to the early lead, a lead which was given away by poor relief pitching from Jason Jennings and C.J. Wilson. After surrendering back-to-back one-out singles in the eighth, Wilson was pulled for Darren O'Day, who entered and got Tejada to hit into an inning-ending double play.

In the top of the 10th, Nelson Cruz hit an opposite field solo homerun to put Texas up 6-5.

Frank Francisco, fresh off a stint on the DL, came in to pitch the bottom of the 10, blowing the Astros hitters away with 97 mph fastballs.

"I just went out there and pounded the strike zone," Francisco said. "I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I've got seven guys behind me and I was just trying to throw my pitch."

Francisco is now 10-for-10 in save opportunities this year. He has yet to allow a run in 15 2/3 innings over 15 games.

Lance Berkman summed up the mood in the Astros locker room after the game.

"A loss is a loss, but whenever you fight hard and come back and you're in the game again then you end up tying the game. To lose a game like that is difficult," Berkman said.

The winner of this series receives the Silver Boot.