Holland Gets Job Done Without Best Stuff

Derek Holland continues to further the Texas Rangers' hope that he could be shaping up to be a top-notch frontline starter in 2015 after he missed most of the 2014 season with injury.

The Rangers lefty proved that once again on Monday night against the Astros when he went to the mound without his best stuff — the stuff that had him entering the night with a 0.99 ERA in his first four starts of the season. What transpired was one of the signs of a great starting pitcher, when Holland pitched through mediocre stuff to go into the eighth inning and come away with a victory.

"I feel like I did my job," Holland told reporters after Monday's outing. "The main thing is you always go out there and hope you have your best stuff. And it was one of those nights where I didn't have my best stuff, but I went out there and pitched. I made sure I had to bear down when I needed to and keep them from scoring as much as possible and keep my defense on [its] toes."

Interim manager Tim Bogar echoed Holland's thoughts in his postgame press conference, basically saying Holland pitched like an ace in regards to the way he continously pitched out of trouble to notch a quality start when he had far from his best stuff.

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