Opening Day Recap

I'm only recapping my favorite team because I'm sure you already know the ins and outs of your favorite teams' first game.

Rangers starter Scott Feldman ran into trouble early giving up a 2-run homer to Vernon Wells in the first and an Adam Lind solo shot in the third. That was pretty much it until the 7th inning because Shawn Marcum, working on about 500 days rest after missing all of last year after Tommy John surgery, was striking out everyone. Or so it seemed. Maybe he was inspired by Nolan Ryan in the front row.

In the 7th inning, new Ranger Vladimir Guerrero finally got the first Ranger hit after Josh Hamilton walked. Up stepped this guy:




Nelson Cruz homered to center on a 2-2 pitch to tie the game at 4. Feldman didn't come back after the 7th and ended up pitching a decent game. He gave up 5 hits, 3 runs, all earned, and struck out 3. Unfortunately, this guy:



didn't fare as well. He struck out Travis Snider, walked Bautista on 4 pitches, gave up a double to Hill, intentionally walked Lind and gave up a go ahead single to Wells. That's 1/3 of an inning, 1 K, 2 BB and an ERA of 27.00. But it's just one game so we won't jump off the building just yet.

Frank Francisco came it to pitch the 9th, even though the Rangers were down by 1.




Fortunately for Feliz and the Rangers this guy led off the 9th with a double.



Vlad followed with a single and Nelson Cruz drove in his 4th run to tie the game. Chris Davis was walked to load the bases and that brought up this guy:



Jarrod Saltalamacchia came through with a single to the gap in right center and the Rangers Win! RANGERS WIN!!

It was an exciting finish and a good way to start the season after being shut down for the first 6 innings. My son heard the end of the game on the radio with me, sitting on his bed. He got out his new Rangers team set and put the cards of Salty, Young and Cruz on his magnetic white board and wrote "Game 1 Heroes" and "Opening Day Winners". That was a good moment for this dad.