Currently: - Game info: 7:10 pm EDT Sat May 14, 2005
- TV: KDFI, WFTC
Kenny Rogers will continue chasing his own team record for consecutive scoreless innings when the Texas Rangers resume a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins.
Rogers, who had a career-high 18 wins last year, got off to a rough start this season, failing to win any of his first four starts. But the crafty left-hander has settled into quite a groove over his last three outings, pitching 21 straight scoreless innings while picking up three consecutive victories.
He scattered six hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking four, in Sunday’s 7-2 victory over Cleveland. The 40-year-old southpaw is approaching the club-record, 39-inning scoreless streak he put together in 1995.
Rogers leads the AL with a 1.79 ERA, surrendering three earned runs or fewer in each of his seven starts.
“Kenny’s on a roll right now,” Rangers shortstop Michael Young said. “He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever played behind. He’s just not giving up any runs. He’s pretty incredible. It seems like he’s getting better and better.”
The Rangers have won five of their last seven games, including Friday’s series-opening 9-6 triumph in 11 innings.
Chad Allen delivered the go-ahead RBI double off Joe Nathan in the 11th. Young went 2-for-6 with a homer and triple, Richard Hidalgo was 3-for-5 with a homer and a double, and Joaquin Benoit pitched 3 1-3 innings of hitless relief to help the Rangers rally from a 6-2 deficit.
Twins reliever Juan Rincon made his first appearance since serving a 10-day suspension for testing positive for steroids. Rincon, who maintains that he did not knowingly take a banned substance, was shaky in his first outing since being suspended on May 3.
After receiving a nice ovation from the home crowd, he allowed the first three hitters to reach. He yielded one run and three hits over 1 1-3 innings.
Lone Star Ball
Twinkie Town
