Are the Boys Back?

After a great start to the season, the Texas Rangers had a pretty mediocre June--losing more games than they won, losing first place in the AL West to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (that's still a mouthful), and, with a Monday night loss to those same Angels, falling two-and-a-half games behind. Things weren't looking too good.

But last night's game, a 9-5 victory, was encouraging, with the Rangers belting five homers. it was a more nervewracking game than it should have been (the team gave up a pair of ninth-inning runs to make the score as close as it was), but it brought the Rangers back within a game and a half.

And tonight? Tonight just wore me out. I sat down to (late) dinner as the Rangers piled on the runs and took what should have been a decisive 7-2 lead. Then I also watched that lead continue to dwindle to...nothing? The Rangers are going to have to bat in the ninth? (Frankie Francisco, what went wrong tonight?) Let's not stop the momentum from last night's game...

Well, they sure didn't; Hank Blalock's two-run walk-off homer put a smile on the face of player and fan alike. Stiil--wow, guys, that was a little scary!

So the team is back to within half a game as the Angels leave town. The teams will meet again soon (next week, if I recall), so there's a chance for this yo-yo of a summer to go up and down again. But tonight, there's hope. And even though at least one local columnist may be skeptical, there does seem to be something special about this team in comparison to past seasons. I can't wait until I'm mobile enough to go to some games this year...