Major League Baseball

Wilson pitches like All-Star despite Rangers loss

Published Jul. 4, 2011 1:40 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

C.J. Wilson validated his manager's decision to pick him for the AL All-Star team. The left-hander's performance still wasn't enough to get the Texas Rangers a victory against Florida.

Wilson struck out nine and allowed two runs, including an unearned run in the eighth after he threw his last pitch, in a 6-4 loss to the last-place Marlins.

''Got really good news this morning about making the team. I was super, super happy about that,'' Wilson said. ''Oh yeah, right before the first inning, my zipper broke in my pants. That was kind of odd, foreshadowing as well.''

Texas' Ron Washington, who will manage the AL All-Star team in Arizona, had used one of his seven managerial picks early Sunday to select closer-turned-starter Wilson to the squad. Wilson is 8-3 this season after going 15-8 in 33 starts last year when Texas went to its first World Series.

Everything broke against the Marlins when they took advantage of a break after what could have been an inning-ending play in the eighth and instead scored four runs against Wilson and three relievers.

With two out and runners on the corners, Mark Lowe (2-2) faked a pickoff attempt to third and turned back to find Gaby Sanchez leaning off first. But Lowe's throw in the dirt allowed Florida's lone All-Star to get back in safely - and that was costly.

Hanley Ramirez followed with a slow chopper that shortstop Elvis Andrus couldn't handle, and Bryan Petersen scored the tying run on the error. Darren Oliver faced only one hitter: Logan Morrison, whose slicing liner was out of the reach of diving right fielder Nelson Cruz. Closer Neftali Feliz then came in but Mike Stanton responded with an RBI single.

Washington, who had been ejected an inning earlier, said the error by Andrus was the big play.

''That's a chance for a major league shortstop to make and he didn't make it,'' Washington said. ''There's no excuse.''

Washington and Rangers first-base coach Gary Pettis were ejected by umpire Angel Hernandez in the seventh. Pettis was tossed after arguing that releiver Michael Dunn (6-6) balked on a play when Cruz was caught stealing. Washington came out of the dugout and was thrown out as well, then argued vehemently for a couple more minutes.

Washington said he went out to see what was going on with Pettis, and had a few words of his own with Hernandez.

''All of a sudden I'm out,'' Washington said. ''Angel is bad. That's all there is to it.''

Wilson said that play took away some momentum.

''It was pretty much a balk, so we're kind of bummed about that,'' Wilson said.

With the loss, the Rangers (44-41) lost sole possession of the AL West lead they had held for 36 days. The Angels caught them with a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Wilson gave up a two-out double in the first to Gaby Sanchez, Florida's only All-Star pick. But Wilson capped each of the first four innings - and six of the seven he finished - with strikeouts.

Sanchez had two hits, a two-out double in the first and an RBI single in the sixth. The only other hits off Wilson before Bryan Petersen's leadoff double in the eight were a pair of infield hits by Emilio Bonifacio.

Cruz and Adrian Beltre, chosen as an All-Star on the players ballot, both homered for Texas.

Cruz and All-Star Adrian Beltre had solo shots for the Rangers. Cruz pulled a pitch deep into the left-field seats in the second for his 20th homer. Beltre's 15th was a 400-foot shot that landed in the Rangers bullpen in the fourth.

After the Rangers scored on an error in the eighth, David Murphy had an RBI triple in the ninth.

It was the Marlins' first come-from-behind victory since 80-year-old Jack McKeon became their manager again after Edwin Rodriguez resigned June 19. The Marlins are still last in the NL East, but finished a 5-4 road trip and are 6-6 overall since the managerial change.

Notes: Washington expects C Mike Napoli (strained left oblique muscle) to be activated from the 15-day disabled list before Monday's game. Napoli has been out since June 11. ... Beltre is a .450 career hitter (18 for 40) against Marlins starter Javier Vazquez.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball