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Strausborger gets long-awaited call to Rangers

ARLINGTON -- After 2,600 plate appearances in the Minor Leagues, Ryan Strausborger made his Major League debut on Wednesday night against left-hander Scott Kazmir and the Astros.

Strausborger, 27, a 16th-round pick in 2010 out of Indiana State, was called up on Tuesday. The Rangers loaded up their lineup with right-handed bats against Kazmir, so Strausborger hit second and played right field.

He laid down a bunt that led to an error in Texas' three-run first inning, made a nice diving catch that probably saved a run in the fourth and finished 0-for-2 with a run scored as the Rangers earned a 4-3 win to sweep the Lone Star Series.

Video: HOU@TEX: Strausborger hits sac bunt, gets to first

"I'm excited, I'm ready to get out there and get my feet wet," Strausborger said before the finale. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime."

Wednesday was his first regular-season game with the Rangers, but he has played in 18 Cactus League games for them in Spring Training over the past five years. Strausborger has never been invited to big league camp, but he is usually one of the first ones called over from the Minor League side when the Rangers need an extra player or hitters to face their pitchers furing early morning batting practice.

Strausborger was having his best Minor League season, hitting .278 with 10 home runs, 34 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and a .438 slugging percent at Triple-A Round Rock.

"I think it has just been a little more experience and a little more consistency," Strausborger said. "I'm playing the same as far as effort and doing the little things but I've got a little more experience and a little more baseball savvy."

Worth noting

• The Rangers could get long reliever Anthony Bass back on Friday in Seattle. He was optioned to Round Rock on July 27, and his 10-day waiting period expires on Thursday. Left-hander Alex Claudio has been serving as the Rangers' long reliever but has yet to pitch since being recalled on July 29.

• Catcher Carlos Corporan, who is on the disabled list with a strained left thumb, rejoined the Rangers after being recalled from his rehab assignment. He is still dealing with soreness in the thumb and is going to take a few days off before resuming batting practice.

• Rangers manager Jeff Banister said he is hoping to stay away from closer Shawn Tolleson on Wednesday after using him in six of the previous seven games.

• The Rangers have re-signed pitcher Ross Ohlendorf to a Minor League contract and assigned him to Round Rock. He has pitched in eight games for the Rangers but has been bothered all year by a strained groin muscle. The Rangers released him last week. Under Major League rules, released players who are re-signed can't be brought back to the big leagues for 30 days or Sept. 1, whichever comes first.

• With the weather pushing 100 degrees, the Rangers did not take batting practice on the field before any of their three games with the Astros. Banister said, "It's about conserving energy."

Chris Gimenez stole two bases for the Rangers on Tuesday. It's only the fifth time in club history that a catcher has had two stolen bases in a game. Bill Fahey did it once and Ivan Rodriguez did it three times. The last was July 26, 2001.

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger and listen to his podcast.
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