Rotation woes continue as Rodriguez takes loss
Rangers starters 0-6 with 4.26 ERA in last 10 games
ARLINGTON -- Rangers left-hander Wandy Rodriguez had the difficult task of going up against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez on Wednesday.
Hernandez is a five-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner. Rodriguez has made just 20 starts the past three seasons and was released by the Braves in Spring Training.
It wasn't a complete mismatch -- it was 2-2 going into the fifth inning. But Rodriguez couldn't get past that inning, giving up a two-run double that lifted the Mariners to a 5-2 victory over the Rangers.
In his second start for the Rangers, Rodriguez allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits, including a home run to Nelson Cruz, but even more painful were five walks. One to Cruz was intentional and he ended up scoring in the fifth. But two of the other walks also led to runs.
"He pitched on the edges," manager Jeff Banister said. "He knows where he's at with his pitches. He just missed some pitches and his pitch count got him. He managed the game from the mound as best he could."
The walks were his most in a start since 2012.
"There were a couple of pitches that could have been strikes," catcher Carlos Corporan said. "They weren't chasing and his pitching count got up. Some pitches were borderline but he threw the ball well."
Rodriguez ended up taking the loss and Rangers starters are 0-6 with a 4.26 ERA in their last 10 games. The Rangers have won just two of those games, both started by Nick Martinez, although he didn't get the decision. The last win by a Rangers starter was that of Yovani Gallardo against the Mariners on April 17.
Rodriguez's next start is scheduled for Tuesday against the Astros in Houston. He remains a start-to-start proposition but right now the Rangers don't appear to have anybody ready at Triple-A Round Rock, although Alex Gonzalez or Jared Eickhoff, or both, could come fast. The Rangers have nobody close to coming off the disabled list. Derek Holland, who is down with a strained left shoulder, is 10 days away from just playing catch.