Ross, Padres cool off Rangers in shutout
SAN DIEGO -- Tyson Ross held the Rangers scoreless through seven innings and helped pitch the Padres to a 7-0 victory on Monday night at Petco Park. The loss snapped the Rangers' four-game winning streak and dropped them to four games behind the Astros in the American League West.
Ross allowed three hits, walked two and struck out seven as he improved to 4-1 with a 2.76 ERA in his past seven starts. He is 10-9 with a 3.27 ERA, marking the first time he has had a winning record or an ERA that low since April.
"He threw the ball well," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "He has got electric stuff. He came out throwing his slider, added his cut fastball and mixed in his changeup. A guy like that you have to get to early or he'll make it tough on you. He had good stuff."
Rangers starter Colby Lewis took the loss by allowing six runs (five earned) in 5 2/3 innings. Texas trailed, 2-0, going into the sixth, when the Padres scored four runs off Lewis and Andrew Faulkner, who was making his Major League debut.
"I was pleased after maybe the second and third inning, we started having really good at-bats, consistent at-bats. That kid can pitch, he's got 14 wins, he's good," San Diego interim manager Pat Murphy said of Lewis. "He has a way of pitching that kind of messes up with hitters. We took advantage tonight of having a little better approach and put it together."
Video: TEX@SD: Alonso opens the scoring with RBI single
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Sixth-inning surge: In its big sixth, San Diego sent 10 hitters to the plate. Jedd Gyorko's sacrifice fly sparked the scoring, while Ross, Cory Spangenberg and Yangervis Solarte each had an RBI hit.
Video: TEX@SD: Spangenberg doubles home Kemp in the 6th
Choo streak ends: Rangers right fielder Shin-Soo Choo went 0-for-4 to bring to an end his streak of reaching base in 34 straight starts. That streak began right after the All-Star break. Choo is still hitting .302 in the second half.
"I'm not worried about that," Choo said. "Every at-bat I'm just trying to do something to help my team win."
Young blood: Padres rookie center fielder Travis Jankowski snapped his 0-for-15 slump using his speed to his advantage in the third, beating out an infield single and then recording his first career stolen base. The rookie later scored on Yonder Alonso's RBI single to center field, giving the Padres their first run of the game. Jankowski also recorded his first extra-base hit with a triple down the right-field line in the eighth.
Video: TEX@SD: Jankowski swipes second for first MLB steal
"I think the stolen base and extra base hit will be fresh my mind for a while," Jankowski said.
Defense no problem for Odor: Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor started for the first time in six games and had no troubles throwing despite some pain in the torn fingernail of the right middle finger. He made a diving stop to his left on Spangenberg's grounder in the fourth and threw him out from his knees.
Video: TEX@SD: Odor robs Spangenberg with diving stop
"He made the plays," Banister said. "He made a tough play there going to his left. That will give him confidence that he can go out there and play."
QUOTABLE
"That's a good ballclub we are playing over there, that's playing well. And Tyson was the guy that was the recipe we needed to shut them down. It was great." -- Murphy
Video: TEX@SD: Murphy discusses Ross, offense in 7-0 win
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
This was the Padres first win in eight games against an American League team at Petco this season. They were 0-2 against the Mariners and Athletics and 0-3 against the Astros. But they have won three of four this season against the Rangers, including two of three in Arlington before the All-Star break.
REPLAY REVIEW
In the sixth, Ross hit a single to center which sent Spangenberg charging toward home and sliding to the plate. He was called safe, but Texas manager Jeff Banister wasn't convinced and challenged the call. The call stood, scoring San Diego's fifth run of the game.
Video: TEX@SD: Ross plates Spangenberg, call confirmed
WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: Right-hander Yovani Gallardo pitches for the Rangers at 9:10 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Petco Park. Gallardo was 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in five starts during August. He also gets to bat and has 12 career home runs, the most by an active pitcher.
Padres: Padres right-hander Andrew Cashner, who is from Texas, makes his first career start against the Rangers at 7:10 p.m. PT on Tuesday. Cashner went to Conroe High School outside Houston and then pitched at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.
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