Holland spectacular in Rangers' shutout win over Orioles
Derek Holland has embraced his inner Ricky Vaughn, sporting the haircut of the Charlie Sheen character in "Major League" and even coming out to the "Wild Thing" music before his start Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles.
There was just one problem with the act Sunday â Holland was anything but wild.
Instead his was masterful, authoring the best start by a Texas pitcher this season as he struck out 11 in a three-hit start that ended with a 6-0 blanking of Baltimore.
The win moved the Rangers seven games over .500 for the first time since 2013. More importantly, they closed the gap with Houston to three games in the American League West while keeping a 1 ½-game lead in the wild-card race.
And it was all set up by a pitcher who was making just his fourth start for the Rangers this year.
Holland, who didn't walk a batter, notched the eighth shutout of his career and the first since Sept. 23, 2013.
He did so by working balls on both sides of the plate and up and down as well. The slumping Orioles, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games, had just two runners in scoring position against him Sunday.
"The execution was big," said Holland, who is now tied with Jim Bibby for the fifth-most shutouts in franchise history. "The defense was making some outstanding plays for me and the offense put up some runs for me. I felt like I've done the same thing in every start, attacking the zone and throwing strikes. If I'm attacking hitters and throwing strikes our defense will make plays."
Holland needed just 116 pitches to strike out every Baltimore hitter at least once. He ended the game by getting Chris Davis to whiff on a pitch that resulted in his bat flying farther than most balls hit off Holland did Sunday.
"To do what he's doing right now is really exceptional," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "It's a tribute to him and how really focused he his. I think more than anything else he had a great rhythm, great pace today. He threw early strikes. We were able to get him some early runs so he was able to settle in."
The Rangers got Holland two runs in the first on a sacrifice fly from Adrian Beltre and a wild pitch. The Rangers added single runs in the third and sixth and then broke the game open with two runs in the eighth on a single from Delino DeShields and a Baltimore error.
That was offensive overkill for Holland.
"He was good," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "He's been good for quite a while. He's certainly got his health back. It bodes well for them and bad for us."
Holland gave some credit to Cole Hamels and Martin Perez, the other two Texas starters who beat Baltimore in the series. He watched the way the tempo they used against the Orioles and then incorporated his game into it.
The result was a shutout that moved Holland into a tie for fifth place all-time in franchise history and allowed him to match his career high in strikeouts.
"I'm just glad to get back and get a complete game," he said. "It's been two years so I was happy to do that. At the same time I think the bullpen needed the rest. I was happy to go the distance and give them the day off."
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