TRN Rangers Report: Hamels slows down Yankees

Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press Published 3:50 p.m. CT May 21, 2018 | Updated 3:49 p.m. CT May 23, 2018

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cole Hamels is focused for now on trying to help the last-place Texas Rangers win some games and being a mentor to so many of their young players.
Down the stretch this season, the veteran lefty could be pitching for a contender — maybe a team like the New York Yankees.

Hamels limited the slugging Yankees to four hits over seven innings, and Jurickson Profar and Ronald Guzman homered for the Rangers in a 6-4 win Tuesday night.

"I'm just here to play and trying to remain healthy and maintain what I can do out on the field, and just getting good results and enjoy playing the game of baseball," Hamels said. "That's really all I can care about. ... All of the decisions are not up to me. The only decision I have in my hand is to throw the baseball and get guys out."

Hamels (3-4) struck out seven and walked two during his first start in 11 days. He was scratched from his previous turn because of neck stiffness.

Rangers manager Jeff Banister said Hamels was fresh and had "probably the best mix pitches we have seen from him all year. ... Kept the hitters off balance."

Profar's three-run homer in the first that just cleared the wall in center put Texas ahead to stay. Guzman started the fourth with a liner into the right-field seats, making it 6-1 only a few batters before starter Domingo German (0-2) came out.

Keone Kela worked a perfect ninth for his ninth save in nine chances, the Rangers' first save since May 11 when he closed out a 1-0 win at Houston in Hamels' prior start.

Bartolo Colon faced Eddie Murray in his MLB debut.

Eddie Murray was elected to the Hall of Fame 15 years ago!
— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) May 22, 2018

Drives me crazy that players can’t break up double plays anymore. There’s a clean way to do it. But now it’s simply stopwatch baseball. Play catch, and you roll 2. IMO, at highest level in the world, the baserunning factor should be in play..forcing SS/2b footwork to turn DPs.
— Michael Young (@MikeyY626) May 22, 2018

This thing is starting to look like a stadium. pic.twitter.com/alSs2fjRHv
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) May 22, 2018

TRAINER'S ROOM: Rangers SS Elvis Andrus (broken right elbow) began taking dry swings with a fungo bat Tuesday. ... 3B Adrian Beltre (strained left hamstring) took some grounders at an easy pace for the first time since reinjuring his hamstring May 13.

Adrian Beltre taking batting practice on the field Wednesday pic.twitter.com/7E8e884RpO
— TR Sullivan (@Sullivan_Ranger) May 23, 2018

NEXT FIVE

Thursday – Kansas City (Danny Duffy 1-6, 6.88) at Texas Rangers (TBA) , 7 p.m., FSSW

Friday – Kansas City Royals (Eric Skoglund 1-4, 6.59) at Texas Rangers (Mike Minor 3-3, 5.59), 7 p.m., FSSW

Saturday – Kansas City Royals (Ian Kennedy 1-4, 4.98) at Texas Rangers (Bartolo Colon 2-1, 2.82), 3 p.m., FS1

Sunday– Kansas City Royals(Jason Hammel 1-5, 5.70) at Texas Rangers (Cole Hamels 3-4, 3.38), 2:05 p.m., FSSW

Monday – Texas Rangers (Doug Fister 1-4, 3.43) at Seattle Mariners (Marco Gonzales 3-3, 4.66), 3 p.m. FSSW