Hello Win Column, Win #7: Michael Young Hits Another Clutch HR to lead Rangers Comeback Over Orioles

According to Bill James Online, Michael Young is hitting .500/.500/1.400 in 10 clutch at-bats this year. Unbelievable.

Game Recap, Boxscore

Before we hear from the angry Baltimore blogosphere, here was an interesting series preview:

(First of) Three Against Texas from The Loss Column

"One thing I’m confident of heading into this series is that Rangers fans feel our pain. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to tell their Coke from our Pepsi in a blind taste test. Their team ERA is 6.21, ours is 5.98. They’re hitting .271, we’re hitting .273. They’ve allowed 156 hits, we’ve allowed 179 . . . When the two teams met for three games last week in Arlington they combined for 56 runs. That’s an average of 9.3 runs per game — each . . . The good news is that since then the Rangers have lost four of six and averaged only 3.8 runs/game. They are, all things considered, not as good a team as the Orioles. We have every reason to be optimistic for another series win."

Needless to say, the losing locker room expresses some major concerns and frustrations about their All Star closer:

Rangers 6, Orioles 5: You're no good, you're no good, you're no good, Georgie you're no good (at closing) from Camden Chat

"George Sherrill is not a closing pitcher and they need to find one, fast. Sherrill gave up a two-run bomb to Michael Young in the top of the ninth inning which put the Rangers up 5-4, the score they would win by when the O's failed to get anybody on or in in the bottom of the inning . . . Sherrill would be an excellent LOOGy. He hasn't been an effective closer. He started OK last year but was struggling by the break, and after the break he collapsed. He's stunk this year. There's not much more to it than that."

Sherrill Serves It Up from Baltimore Sports Report

"Man, Texas has the Orioles’ number don’t they? I don’t get it . . . "

Orioles' Bullpen Can't Hold On Against Rangers from The Baltimore Sun

"Kinsler reached on a line single to left field, allowing Young to come to the plate and hit his third game-tying or go-ahead home run in the ninth inning in the past five games. Those factors made the Rangers' 5-4 victory before an announced Friday night crowd of 24,319 especially difficult for the Orioles to swallow . . . 'It was a good battle with Kinsler, and you just have to put that behind you and get the next guy,' said Sherrill, who blew his first save in four chances this year. 'I just made a bad pitch. I showed him too many pitches in the same spot.' "