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Saturday, Apr. 8 8:05pm ET
Wells makes good on promise, blanks Rangers | |||||
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GAME LOG
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- David Wells not only fulfilled his promise to pitch nine innings, he pitched the first complete-game shutout in the majors this season. Wells pitched a nine-hitter Saturday night as the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory over Texas and Kenny Rogers, who had his 19-game home winning streak snapped. "I was confident out there and had good command of all my pitches and good location," Wells said. "You get a couple of runs, it helps." Rogers' streak was the third-longest in major league history, dating to June 28, 1997, for the New York Yankees. He also pitched for Oakland and the New York Mets in the streak before winning No. 19 on Monday for the Rangers. Wells, 1-4 in his seven previous starts in Arlington, was the one who felt at home, allowing eight hits and one walk and not allowing a runner past second base in an efficient 89-pitch outing. Wells (1-0) struck out five in his 10th career shutout. Wells shut down the Rangers, who had scored 43 runs in their first five games and at least eight runs four times. "He told me before the game that he was going to pitch nine innings. He said the bullpen was a little used up. Of course, I didn't believe him," Toronto manager Jim Fregosi said. "I was just maybe being a little cocky, but sometimes you've got to do that," Wells said. "Somebody's got to do it, and I'm glad it was me." Carlos Delgado drove in the first two Toronto runs, and Craig Grebeck went 3-for-4 with a homer in his first game since missing most of last year with a foot injury. The two-run homer that just cleared the left-field wall in the seventh inning was just his 32th in 400 career games, and third career homer off Rogers (1-1). Rogers is tied with Frank Viola for the third-longest home winning streak in major league history behind Ray Kramer (23 from 1926-27 with Pittsburgh) and Lefty Grove (20 from 1938-41 with Boston). "It's over. It's good in ways and bad in others," Rogers said of his streak. "Yeah, you'd like to keep it going, but it's over and you move on." Rogers allowed four runs and nine hits over seven innings. Though he didn't walk a batter, he threw 110 pitches on a cool night. Delgado put the Blue Jays ahead 1-0 in the first when he hit a double into the right-field corner. In the third, Delgado's sacrifice fly sent home Alberto Castillo, who reached on a throwing error by Tom Evans before a pair of singles. The Rangers finally got two men on base at the same time in the sixth inning, but it didn't last long. After Ivan Rodriguez reached on a fielder's choice and Rafael Palmeiro singled, Rodriguez was easily thrown out while trying to steal third base. The same two were on base together again in the eighth inning after consecutive two-out singles, Ruben Mateo struck out on three pitches. Game notesToronto had allowed 20 runs in their previous two games, including 11 runs to Texas in the opener Friday night and a nine-run inning to Kansas City the night before. ... An eighth-inning single by Rodriguez gave the AL MVP a six-game hitting streak to start the season. His best start was in 1998, when had had hits in the first eight Texas games. ... Luis Alicea, a .201 hitter for Texas a year ago, is hitting .667 (8-for-12) after going 4-for-4. He is platooning at second base with Tom Catalanotto, who is hitting .500 (5-for-10) and has hit in all four games he has played. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Toronto Clubhouse Texas Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 2 Detroit 1
Toronto 4
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