Plenty of work, not many mistakes for Texas bullpen

Reporting from Arlington, Texas -- No Texas starter has made it past the sixth inning in the Rangers’ nine postseason games, and that’s left the bullpen sagging under a heavy workload.

“When you ask the bullpen to pitch stressful innings like we’ve been doing, that definitely takes a lot more out of you,” said former Angels left-hander Darren Oliver, who has made five playoff appearances.

So far the Rangers relievers have managed to pick up the slack, posting a 2.37 earned-run average and holding opponents to a .194 batting average in 38 innings. And they’ve done that by spreading the work around.

Five relievers have appeared in more than half of Texas’ postseason games, with two — Scott Feldman and Alexi Ogando — each pitching nearly the equivalent of a complete game. The two have allowed just a run and six hits in 162/3 innings combined.

“Any time you play tight games and starters don’t go deep, and then you have a couple of extra-inning games, it’s going to tax anybody’s bullpen,” Oliver said. “Every starter is trying to go as deep as they can and trying to put up as many zeros as they can. I don’t think they’re worried about what the bullpen’s going to do.”

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2005 Angels are the only other team with a streak of nine consecutive games in which a starter failed to go more than six innings in a single postseason.

Rehabbing Rangers

The Tigers, who have been hobbled by injuries to four regulars, aren’t the only ones playing hurt in the American League Championship Series. Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Adrian Beltre — who all spent time on the disabled list during the regular season — were allowed to skip the Rangers’ afternoon workout to mend aches and pains.

“We called a workout. It was optional. And they chose the option not to come,” Manager Ron Washington said.

Hamilton, who has quietly played through a left groin strain for the last month, is the most seriously injured Ranger.

“We all are banged up at this point of the year,” Washington said. “It’s an issue that we have to deal with. But he will show up and he will be in the lineup and he will play.”

Hamilton is hitting .297 in a team-high 37 postseason at-bats but he has yet to homer after hitting 25 during the regular season.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com