Mazara Hits First Home Bomb in Huge Game

Shortly before pulling up to Globe Life Park in Arlington on Tuesday night, my father-in-law's tickets sold.

So we went with our usual Plan B — use dead tickets to get a $1 upper deck seat and head to the restaurant in left field for a good ol' buffet, which by the way, is far better this year than ever before.

We got a front row table, so nothing but clear glass between myself and the action and in the sixth inning, after Martin Perez had performed his best Houdini impression in the top of the frame, we saw fireworks — literally.

After the Angels beaned Adrian Beltre, Mazara stepped to the plate and sent a ball 422 feet into the upper porch in right field — his first home run in Arlington of his seven this season.

As Chuck Morgan blared "The Natural" theme over the house PA and the reflection of the fireworks I couldn't see was flashing on the field while Mazara was trotting around the bases, it hit me: We have something special in that kid.

The Big Chill, as he's now known, is now hitting a team-high (by a lot) .317 and tied for the team high with his seventh homer. And it was a biggie, extending the Rangers' lead from 1-0 to 3-0 in a game they eventually won 4-1.

Of the Rangers' seven hits on the night, Mazara had three of them. Of their four runs, he had two. Of their three RBIs, he had two.