Rangers End Losing Streak
{fshare id=5313}
NEW YORK — The Texas Rangers are less than three years removed from twice being one strike away from winning the World Series, so merely snapping two losing streaks Saturday night was no cause for celebration inside the visitor’s clubhouse at Citi Field.
“I know we finally won a ballgame,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said after Texas ended a six-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets. “But we’ve got to win more than just today.”
Winning anywhere — the victory Saturday also ended a 10-game road losing streak for Texas — has been a lot tougher than usual this season for the injury-plagued Rangers, who were the only major league team with 90 wins in each of the previous four years.
The Rangers (38-49) have 14 players on the disabled list, including one-third of their projected lineup (first baseman Prince Fielder, designated hitter Mitch Moreland and catcher Geovany Soto) and three-fifths of their optimal rotation (left-handers Derek Holland and Matt Harrison and right-hander Martin Perez).
But third baseman Adrian Beltre, who also spent two weeks on the disabled list earlier this year, said the Rangers shouldn’t feel any relief after victories. Texas is just 7-19 since June 6, a stretch in which it went from a half-game out of the second wild card to 10 behind Seattle.
“Something we’re supposed to be doing — we’re supposed to be winning more
ballgames right now,” Beltre said after he homered for the second straight night. “All the injuries and stuff — we still have a pretty good team and we shouldn’t be losing as much as we’ve been. No excuse. We should be playing better. That’s what we expect.”
For one night, at least, the Rangers did what they expected by producing plenty of offense and getting a sturdy effort from a starting pitcher.
Catcher Robinson Chirinos’ three-run, opposite-field homer capped a four-run first inning against Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon. Beltre’s homer in the third gave the Rangers a 5-0 lead.
Chirinos had two hits and right fielder Alex Rios was 3-for-4 with an RBI double, a run scored and a stolen base.
The Mets scored twice in the bottom of the third off Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis, who then managed to escape a bases-loaded, one-out jam. Lewis gave up a leadoff homer to Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud in the bottom of the fourth before retiring nine of the final 11 batters he faced.
“Made the pitches when we had to (and) we finally put some runs on the board,” Washington said. “That’s what we needed to do and that’s what we did tonight.”
Lewis, pitching in New York for the first time since he underwent right hip surgery in Manhattan last August, allowed three runs (two earned) and eight hits in six innings. He walked none and struck out out seven in improving to 6-5.
“We won and we want to go out there and win again tomorrow,” Lewis said. “We’re never out of this thing. It’s only the All-Star break. You never know what can happen.”
Left-hander Neal Cotts and right-hander Steve Tolleson combined for two scoreless innings before right-hander Joakim Soria notched his 16th save with a one-hit ninth.
Right fielder Curtis Granderson was 2-for-5 with a third-inning RBI double for the Mets (38-49), who have lost eight of 10. Left fielder Bobby Abreu had an RBI single and d’Arnaud belted a solo homer.
Colon (8-7) recovered from the rough first inning to last seven innings and spare the Mets’ overworked bullpen, which worked 8 2/3 innings in Friday’s 6-5 win. The 41-year-old right-hander gave up the five runs, eight hits and two walks while striking out three.
“He is a professional — he knows exactly where we stand, bullpen-wise, and knew that we were going to need some innings,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “As we have seen throughout the year from him, as the game goes on, he gets better.”
