Major League Baseball

Rally provides some welcome relief

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:14 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK - Let's review the Rangers' ninth inning against the Yankees on Monday night: Batting practice may be a good way to describe it. They came up with six hits that led to six runs. A nice 2-0 lead ballooned into a runaway 8-0 lead.

Time for manager Ron Washington to start managing for future games. He had Neftali Feliz on his mind.

Consider that when Cliff Lee returned to the dugout after the top of the eighth inning, Washington asked him if he was wanted to keep pitching or was he ready to retire for the evening.

Lee wanted to keep pitching. His two-hit, 13-strikeout effort earned him the right to make a decision.

The Rangers' bats, however, made it moot. Lee wasn't needed for the final half inning at Yankee Stadium

With an eight-run lead, Washington decided to call on Feliz, his rookie closer who sooner or later will have to pitch in a save situation against the Yankees or possibly, a National League team.

Feliz was shaky against the Yankees in the ninth inning of Saturday's second game of the series. He walked two batters and threw 30 pitches in a non-save situation. The Rangers won, 7-2.

On Monday, Feliz struck out Derek Jeter, got Nick Swisher to ground out to second base and struck out Mark Teixeira. A much better performace than Saturday even if it wasn't a save situation. Again.

"Everytime we have an opportunity to get [Feliz] out there benefits us," Washington said. "We brought him in to continue to feel good about himself."

For that, Washington can thank his hitters, who scored their first-ever seventh inning-or-later playoff runs against the Yankees.

It was an ensemble that contributed, Josh Hamilton doubled to lead off the ninth, then Vladimir Guerrero finally got a hit, a single. Nelson Cruz followed with a RBI single. Pinch hitter David Murphy was walked intentionally. Bengie Molina singled, Mitch Moreland singled. Elvis Andrus doubled.

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