Now a season and a half through the existence of Minneapolis' Target Field, the Texas Rangers are still yet to find a way to win a game there and the bad news for the Rangers is there's three more coming this weekend.
On Thursday night, Derek Holland pitched well, matching a career high with 10 strikeouts, while the Rangers bats provided some punch with Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz both hitting long bombs. Cruz's was grossly underestimated by the Target Field folks, by the way, just adding to the bad mojo in that place.
But where the bad luck really showed was with a couple of big calls that seemed to go the Twins' way.
It started in the fifth inning when the Twins' Rene Rivera was clearly tagged out by Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, a call the umpire missed. Missed calls in baseball are part of the game, and one thing many like about the game that doesn't utilize instant replay except for on home runs.
A few batters later, Michael Cuddyer hit a three-run bomb to give the Twins a 4-1 lead.
Then in the bottom of the ninth in a 4-4 tie, Luke Hughes led off with a double down the left field line that a fan picked up before the Rangers could make a play on the ball. Again, against the rules, and again, Ron Washington argued, but to no avail.
"We had to play against a team that's pretty good right now -- and the umpire," Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre told the Associated Press.
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A win tonight with C.J. Wilson on the mound would be a nice way to end the streak of bad luck in the Great White North.
