Undefeated Lewis Giving Rangers Solid No. 3 Option

If for no other reason, the Rangers are in good shape because Colby Lewis is their No. 3 starter. On a lot of teams he’d be No. 2, or even No. 1.

The 36-year-old bulldog improved to 5-0 for the first time in his career Tuesday night, limiting the Indians to just two hits over six shutout innings in a 7-3 victory in Cleveland.

Like he’s been throughout his career, Lewis was underwhelming in his domination.

He threw fastballs on the corner for strike one and never gave in to a consistent, predictable pattern. He struck out only two batters, but got nine outs on ground balls and another seven on fly balls.

“He knows how to pitch,” said Rangers’ manager Jeff Banister, whose streaking team has won nine of 11. “He presents a challenge to hitters because they can’t sit on a single pitch.”

Behind Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels, the Rangers have a reliable third starter who has proven he can also win in the postseason. Derek Holland may have more flash, but Lewis has the team’s trust. In 11 starts this season, 10 times he’s pitched at least six innings.

Bottom line: There aren’t many more reliable No. 3 starters in baseball.

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A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.

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