ARLINGTON, Texas — Mike Adams thought he was going to enter the game Saturday night following an at-bat by Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder. But Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington had other plans.
In an attempt to get reliever Robbie Ross on track, Washington allowed the left-hander to throw one more pitch after he walked Fielder in the ninth inning. That pitch was a ball to Delmon Young. At that point, Washington had seen enough.
"Once [Ross] walked Fielder and the next pitch was a ball, I had to go get Mike Adams," Washington said. "Thank God for Mike Adams."
Adams then entered to face Young already down 1-0.
"Why I didn't start [against Young], I'm not sure," Adams said. "It's not often you come in with a pitch already thrown. The situation I came in was a little bit different, little crazy, but I just kind of blocked that situation out."
Young singled the bases loaded but Adams then got Brennan Boesch to ground out and Jhonny Peralta to fly out. Adams (2-3) preserved the 1-1 tie and walked away with the 2-1 victory after Mike Olt singled in the winning run during the bottom of the inning.
"I put Mike Adams in a very, very tough situation but he rose to the occasion and he showed what type of fight we have as a group," Washington said. "And I'm a part of that group. It's just not them out there, I'm fighting too. He picked me up and did one heck of a job. That was one hell of an inning that Mike Adams threw right there.
