Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor (R) celebrates with catcher Bobby Wilson after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Park in Arlington. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

 

The Sports Xchange/Arlington, Texas


Yovani Gallardo collected his 100th career victory while Texas capitalised on an error by Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista to score three times in the seventh inning in a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday.
The Rangers (65-61) drew level with the Minnesota Twins for the second wild-card spot in the American League behind the New York Yankees, who are 1-1/2 games behind the Blue Jays (71-56) in the AL East.
“It means a lot. It’s a big accomplishment,” Gallardo said after he recorded the win. “It shows a lot of hard work through the years. It’s not easy. It’s something that as starter is very important.”
Gallardo, who grew up in nearby Fort Worth, won his third consecutive start, pitching 5-1/3 shutout innings and giving up three hits and three walks while striking out two.
“It’s a powerful lineup, but I think my main thing is being aggressive with the fastball and get the guys to swing early,” Gallardo said.
“I was able to command the fastball on both sides of the plate and (hit) with just enough off-speed pitches.
“You have to move the ball around with the kind of hitters they have.”
Texas right-hander Shawn Tolleson pitched a scoreless ninth for his 26th save. He was one of four Rangers relievers who held Toronto to one run and five hits in 3-2/3 innings.
Texas center fielder Delino DeShields, who scored the game’s first run on first baseman Mitch Moreland’s single in the first inning, had two hits.
One of his hits, a single in the seventh, led to three runs when Bautista, looking to make a throw on a potential play at the plate, missed the ball and allowed catcher Bobby Wilson and second baseman Hanser Albeto and DeShields to score.
“I thought he was coming in to try to make a play,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.
“The way the outfield is cut, it’s got that little zig-zag. I thought he was just trying to make a play.”
DeShields also had three walks, reaching base in all five plate appearances.
Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (11-8) took the loss, going six innings and giving up one run, four hits and three walks while striking out six.
“We had a couple of shots and didn’t capitalize,” Gibbons said.
“Gallardo, he’s got our number. He’s good. Locates his fastball. He’s tough. He can pick people apart pretty good.”
Meanwhile Zack Greinke allowed four hits over seven innings to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Greinke (14-3) struck out nine and walked two for Los Angeles before Jim Johnson earned his 10th save with a perfect ninth inning.
Yasmani Grandal drove in the only run in the second inning when Justin Turner scored from third after the catcher had hit into a double play with the bases-loaded.
Matt Shoemaker returned from the minors and gave up just one hit in 7-1/3 innings as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers.
Shoemaker (6-9) was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday after giving up 13 runs in 7-1/3 innings in his previous two starts with the Angels.
Detroit’s Anthony Gose, who singled in the third and walked in the sixth was the only Tiger to reach base against Shoemaker.