Hole-in-the-Glove Gang Helps Rangers Win

The team whose pitching staff was too thin to contend for a division title, whose bullpen tended to implode, whose nine-game lead dwindled to one only seven days ago, is one victory--or one Seattle loss--away from its first playoff appearance in the 25-year history of the franchise.

With 33,895 spectators on their feet at the Ballpark in Arlington, Mike Henneman got Gary DiSarcina to fly out with two on in the top of the ninth Thursday night, preserving a 6-5 Texas victory that clinched at least a share of the American League West title for the Rangers.

A victory over the Angels in the final three games or a Seattle loss in its last four games would give the Rangers their first division championship and a likely berth opposite the New York Yankees in the division series.

“No one expected a lot out of us this season, but any time you’re not picked to win it gives you incentive to prove people wrong,” Ranger center fielder Darryl Hamilton said.

“Seattle and California were supposed to win, but we knew we could compete with those guys. Still, if you asked me coming out of spring training if we’d be in first place for all but four days this season, I would have said no way. A lot of things came together for this team.”

Good defense and good fortune merged for the Rangers on Thursday, as errors by Angel center fielder Darin Erstad (dropped fly ball) and third baseman Randy Velarde (missed grounder) aided a four-run third inning.

That offset Garret Anderson’s two-run homer in the second and Tim Salmon’s RBI single in the third. Velarde’s fourth-inning error led to another unearned run, and Kevin Elster’s RBI triple in the sixth gave Texas a 6-3 lead.

Rex Hudler’s seventh-inning homer and Salmon’s RBI single in the eighth made the score 6-5, but two outstanding plays by second baseman Mark McLemore, a former Angel, kept the Angels at a distance, and catcher Ivan Rodriguez’s block of Mike Stanton’s potential wild pitch saved a run in the ninth.

Jim Abbott pitched one of his best games of the season, going the distance on an eight-hitter, giving up three earned runs, walking one and striking out five, but still closed the season with a 2-18 record, the most losses in the league.

“It’s been a very tough year, but I feel better about the way I’ve thrown the ball the last few weeks, and I can take some consolation in that,” said Abbott, who set a team record by giving up 120 earned runs this season. “But this will be a hard year to get over.”

Angel Notes

Joe Maddon, the bench coach who served as manager during John McNamara’s absence, has been informed by General Manager Bill Bavasi that he will interview for the manager’s job shortly after the season ends. . . . Rex Hudler’s seventh-inning home run was the Angels’ 190th of the season, breaking the team record set in 1961. It also was Hudler’s 16th homer of the season, doubling his previous career high.