Davis Keeps Blue Jays’ Wells Stuck on 18

It was no secret. After all, Doug Davis can read.

The Texas Rangers’ rookie also can pitch well enough to deny David Wells’ bid to become the first 19-game winner in the majors.

Davis matched Wells for eight scoreless innings Friday night, then Rusty Greer’s RBI single in the 11th gave the Rangers a 1-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Of course I knew who I was going up against and what he was going for,” said Davis. “I was going to put a lot of zeros up, pitch as well as I could and give him a run for his money. I wanted to make No. 19 tough for him.”

Wells scattered eight hits and a walk over eight scoreless innings, but failed to extend his personal high for victories in a season when the Blue Jays couldn’t score off Davis and two relievers.

Davis gave up four hits and five walks in eight innings before turning it over to John Wetteland. It was the longest scoreless outing in Davis’ career.

“He [Davis] was throwing strikes and being aggressive,” said Ranger Manager Johnny Oates. “He’s thrown strikes out of the bullpen all year, then he’s thrown strikes in his last two starts. It’s probably more mental than physical. He might have been giving these hitters too much credit.”

Oates has been trying to decide if Davis’ future is as a starter or reliever. Davis doesn’t care, as long as he gets the ball.

Bill Haselman led off the Texas 11th inning with a single off Billy Koch (6-3). Pinch-runner Scarborough Green went to second base when Koch hit Mike Lamb with a pitch while Lamb was trying to bunt.

Koch then was unable to field Scott Sheldon’s bunt, which went for a single to load the bases.

After Luis Alicea grounded into a force play at the plate, Greer hit a line drive over the head of a drawn-in Shannon Stewart in left field to end Toronto’s three-game winning streak.

Mike Venafro (2-1) pitched a scoreless 11th inning.

This was only the second game in the majors this season to be scoreless after nine innings. San Diego and Florida also failed to score after nine innings on Aug. 12, before the Padres won, 2-1, in 10 innings.