Rangers Win First Postseason Series In Team History

By Justin Worsley

Cliff Lee threw 11 strikeouts and a complete game while the Texas Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 in Game 5 of the ALDS.

For the first time in MLB history, the away team won every game in this series with Lee getting the best of Rays ace David Price on two occasions. Both pitchers also started Game 1 of the series with Texas also walking away with a 5-1 win in that game.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus got the Rangers on the board early in the first inning off of a groundout by Josh Hamilton. Andrus stole second base while Hamilton was at bat and when Price ran to cover first base, his back was turned to the speedy Andrus who never slowed down as he rounded third base.

Tampa tied the game at one apiece in the third inning when right fielder Ben Zobrist took an inside, 93 MPH fastball by Lee deep into center field. Sean Rodriguez scored and both Zobrist and Jason Bartlett advanced to second and third base off of a throwing error by Hamilton.

Texas took back the lead in the fourth inning, however, when Kelly Shoppach made an errant throw to third base as Nelson Cruz was stealing the base, allowing Cruz to score.

Lee got more run support in the sixth inning when Ian Kinsler grounded out on a fielder's choice at first base. Veteran Vladimir Guerrero rushed home and evaded the tag by Shoppach to pad Texas' lead.

Price had no answer for the middle of the Rangers lineup. Guerrero, Cruz and Kinsler combined to go 7-for-12 with four runs and three RBIs. Price pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs off of eight hits with six strikeouts. No batter was walked in the game.

The fate of the Rays season was sealed when Kinsler hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off of closer Rafael Soriano, giving the Rangers a 5-1 lead. Lee retired the last nine Rays batters to end the game.

In seven career postseason starts, Lee is 6-0 with a 1.44 ERA. Only Orlando Hernandez has posted a lower ERA while going 6-0 in his first seven postseason starts in MLB history.

Texas will now try to follow their first postseason series win in franchise history by winning their second against the reigning World Series champions, the New York Yankees. The Rangers will host New York on Friday night at 8 p.m.