<image courtesy of baseballbacks>

With the bases loaded and two outs, the Rangers had batted all the way around to the pitchers spot while compiling 3 runs in the process, and Colby Lewis stepped up to the plate and did not disappoint. 

Lewis knocked in David Murphy and Nelson Cruz on a monster shot to short right center to give the Rangers a 5 – 0. The Rangers would put it on cruise control and finish the Astros off 6 – 1.

It was about time Colby Lewis stepped up for the Rangers…or at least short term. Lewis had pitched, let’s just say…not so good in his last few outings, but today he got back on track. And who cares it was against the Astros. They’re still not the Pirates.

<photo courtesy of Keith Allison>

T’s Observations / Game Notes:

• Colby Lewis also had a single in the 5th.
• Mr. Lewis threw 122 pitches, the 6th highest pitch count in the majors. He finished with 8 innings pitch, 4 hits allowed, 1 earned run, and 6 strike outs.
• David Murphy followed up his inside-the-park home run last night with a home run today.
• The Rangers took the series lead 2 games to 3.
• Robbie Ross finished off the Astros in the bottom of the 9th.
• Almost all the Rangers had hits in this game, but one didn’t…poor Adrian Beltre. We still love you though.

Upcoming Action: Yu Darvish and Felix Hernandez face off in a very delicious match up of AL West rivals as the Rangers visit the Mariners on Monday night. Game time is 9:10 central.

Dock Ellis had a pretty colorful MLB career.  He was known for many things long before he showed up in Arlington to pitch for the Rangers.   He was traded here during the early portion of 1977 and traded away early 1979.

• His most famous famous feat occurred on June 12, 1970 when Ellis pitched a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres while on LSD
• On May 5, 1972, a security guard maced him in Cincinnati when Ellis didn’t identify himself and made threatening gestures at him.
• On May 1, 1974, Ellis attempted to hit every batter on the Cincinnati Reds as retaliation for the macing incident in Cincinnati. He faced five batters, hit three and was removed by his manager, Danny Murtaugh.
• Ellis also collaborated with future U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall on a book, Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball, which was published in 1976, the year before he came to the Rangers.

After being traded to the Rangers in early 1977, Ellis was pretty good, going 10-6 with an 2.90 ERA for a team that won 94 games, but finished 8 games out of first. In 1978, he had another pretty good campaign, going 9-7 with an 4.20 ERA. In early 1979, an aging Ellis, 34, struggled, going 1-5 with an 5.98 ERA and was shipped to the Mets, who in turn shipped him back to the Pirates where he started. That would be his last year in the majors.  While with the Rangers the controversy didn’t stop.  Ellis led a player insurrection against manager Billy Hunter’s authoritarian style, declaring that Hunter “may be Hitler, but he ain’t making no lampshade out of me.”

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Where Have You Been Dock Ellis?”