Cliff, Where's Your Claw?

Could it be déjà vu all over again? Just like Game 1 of the ALCS, the Texas Rangers fell apart, this time losing to the San Francisco Giants 11-7, despite pitcher Cliff Lee getting the start for the Rangers, with Tim "The Freak" Lincecum pitching for San Francisco.

The Rangers were first on the board. A base hit put Elvis Andrus on first base, and he was brought home with a shot by Vladimir Guerrero, putting the Rangers up 1-0. Rangers catcher Bengie Molina scored run number two in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Andrus.

The Giants got on the board in the third after a line drive base hit by Freddy Sanchez allowed Edgar Renteria to score. Rangers 2, Giants 1 in third. The Giants tied the game also in the third with a line drive from Buster Posey that brought Andres Torres home.

Then it was all Giants, all the time. They took the lead of the night in the bottom of the fifth. It all started with a line drive double by Sanchez to bring Andres Torres home for the third run. A line drive by Cody Ross allowed Sanchez to also score in the fifth, putting the Giants up by two runs.

Pat Burrell scored off Aubrey Huff's single run; Giants on top by three.

Then something really rare happened: Lee was pulled in the fifth inning, forcing the Rangers to bring in reliever Darren O'Day. But the embarrassment didn't end in the fifth -- a home run by Juan Uribe allowed the Giants to score runs six, seven and eight.

The Rangers were able to score a third run in the top of the sixth after Molina doubled on a line drive. Molina was brought home after a single by Josh Hamilton. That was enough for the Giants, who then made a pitching change after the Rangers scored two in the inning.

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The Giants just kept dominating the game with runs No. 9, 10 and 11 scored in the bottom of the eighth. The Rangers tried to come back in the ninth, scoring three more runs, but it wasn't enough of a rally to win the ballgame.

Game 2 is scheduled for 6:57 p.m. Thursday at AT&T Park.  Games 3, 4 and 5 will be played Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

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