Reliever Frasor thriving against left-handers

ARLINGTON -- When Rangers right-handed reliever Jason Frasor got Astros left-hander Carlos Corporan to pop out in the eighth inning on Wednesday, it lowered his opponents' batting average against left-handers to .156 for the season.

That's tied for the seventh lowest by a right-handed pitcher against left-handed hitters in the American League with a minimum of 50 batters faced. They also have a .225 on-base percentage against him. Last year, left-handers hit .273 with a .415 slugging percentage off Frasor while he was with the Blue Jays.

His success this season is based on the usual criteria for right-handed pitchers against lefties. Frasor has a good changeup and a cut fastball he can run inside on left-handed hitters.

"He's good at spotting his fastball," manager Ron Washington said.

Frasor's success against left-handers is why he has earned a prominent role in the Rangers bullpen. Washington called him into a 3-2 game with runners at the corners and two outs in the eighth. Retiring Corporan on a popout to center was the biggest out of the game.

"It was fun," Frasor said. "It was fun when it was over. It's not fun out there. It's fun when it's over and you've done your job and maintained the lead. You could feel the intensity. It was a serious moment."

Frasor went into Wednesday's game with a 2.20 ERA in his last 38 games.

"Early on, he was just having trouble getting going," Washington said. "But the more we've been able to get him the ball, the more in tune he has become with his stuff."