Playing their first non-divisional game of the season, the Rangers (4-6) received a strong pitching performance from Pedro Astacio (0-1, 2.57 ERA) against the Toronto Blue Jays (7-3) Thursday before 19,366 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington.
While Astacio was good, though, Jays’ starter and 2003 Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay (2-0, 3.27) was better, as he held the Texas lineup to one run on five hits en route to a 2-1 complete game victory.
Former Ranger Frank Catalanotto led off the game with a double off Astacio, coming around to score on back-to-back fly ball outs courtesy of second baseman Orlando Hudson and center fielder Vernon Wells. A graduate of Arlington’s Bowie High School, Wells was credited with the RBI and Toronto had a quick 1-0 lead.
Texas tied the score in the fifth when right fielder Richard Hidalgo led off the inning with a broken-bat single to deep short. He moved to third on an Adrian Gonzalez double and scored when center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. reached on an infield single.
Right fielder Alex Rios led off the Blue Jays’ seventh with an infield hit, moving to third when switch-hitting catcher Gregg Zaun doubled with no outs.
Pinch-hitter Russ Adams put Toronto back on top at 2-1 when he grounded into a fielder’s choice to first baseman Mark Teixeira, scoring Rios from third.
Halladay, meanwhile, continued to mow down Ranger hitters. He struck out nine batters while allowing just a ninth-inning walk, becoming the first American League pitcher this year to toss a nine-inning complete game.
The Rangers put men on first and second with two outs in the ninth but were unable to bring them home, as Halladay induced a ground ball to first by Gonzalez to end the ballgame.
A bright spot came late in the game for Texas when Nick Regilio came on in relief of Astacio. Regilio, activated Wednesday after R.A. Dickey was sent to the disabled list, threw two perfect innings while striking out two.
The three combined runs were the least in a Rangers game through the first 10 contests of 2005.
Despite the loss, Texas management received good news on the pitching front.
Reliever Frankie Francisco, on the disabled list since the season began, made his second rehab start for the Double-A Frisco Rough Riders, tossing one inning and striking out one. He is expected back before the Toronto series ends on Sunday.
In addition, Carlos Almanzar, who has not pitched this year following two deaths in his immediate family, is expected to be activated for tonight’s game.
This evening, Ryan Drese (0-1, 6.75) will make his third start against the Blue Jays’ Ted Lilly (0-0, 1.80) at Ameriquest Field. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
