Texas MLB Capsules: Rangers 3B coach interferes for final out of loss

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The stop sign that Texas third base coach Dave Anderson put up was apparently a little too good.

In a bizarre and disputed play, Anderson was called for interfering with runner Michael Young for the final out Sunday, giving the Minnesota Twins a 6-5 win over the Rangers.

"Bad call by a good umpire," Young contended. "It's a shame the game had to end like that."

"Didn't touch Dave, don't think I was anywhere near Dave," he said.

Down 6-2 in a matchup of AL division leaders, the Rangers scored twice in the ninth inning and had the bases loaded with two outs.

Vladimir Guerrero grounded an RBI single up the middle that Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson fielded behind the bag. Young came running around third and, in the view of third base umpire Alfonso Marquez, briefly tapped hands with Anderson.

Young then stopped and scrambled back to the bag. He made a dive and appeared to beat Hudson's throw to third baseman Matt Tolbert. But standing near the base, Marquez pointed and made the interference call for the third out.

Rangers manager Ron Washington argued the call, but the game was ruled over and star Nelson Cruz was left on deck.

"I think we all would have loved to have seen Cruzie get a shot at that with the bases loaded," Young said. "It's absolutely a shame that it had to end like that."

Anderson claimed there was no contact, the umpires said there was.

Said Washington: "All you got to do is look at the replay, it never happened."

Washington said he was going to talk to either Bob Watson or Frank Robinson in the commissioner's office.

"The thing is this too many calls have been made that's costing ballgames in 2010," he said. "We certainly shouldn't have a game end on something like that. Especially when you're out there as long as you're out for the hours you're out there and played as hard as we played to get back in that ballgame, and have that happen."

Crew chief Tim Tschida spoke for the umpires.

"The ruling on the play is that a base coach either touching, physically assisting in any way, with the baserunner is not allowed and the runner is called out," Tschida said.

Tschida told a pool reporter that the Rangers argued that any contact was accidental and didn't interfere with the runner's progress.

"They can't make contact," Tschida said. "In 30 years of doing this, it's the second time I've ever seen it."

Anderson said there was no contact.

"I think Michael and I would have felt something if we had touched each other," he said. "I haven't looked at a replay or anything, but I didn't feel anything and I don't think Michael felt anything. The disappointing thing is that Michael was safe getting back to third base or would have been safe."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, a longtime third-base coach, said the Twins once lost a game at Seattle in the same manner.

"Unfortunately, it probably didn't help him stop, or didn't help him get back," Gardenhire said. "But contact is contact, and that's what Alfonso called."

The Rangers felt like the call took away an opportunity to get something tangible out of their weekend in Minneapolis. Over the first 26 innings of the series, Texas was outscored 22-9. The Rangers, however, got five hits off of Twins relievers Jon Rauch and Matt Capps in the ninth and had a chance to win.

Texas still leads Oakland by eight games in the AL West.

"It's really frustrating," Ian Kinsler said. "You get the game taken away from you, that's what it feels like. Who knows what Cruz would have done. He could have popped up, struck out, hit a triple. No one knows what could have happened with Cruz, but it would have been nice to see what could have happened."

Because that didn't happen, Nick Blackburn (9-9) got the victory after recording his third consecutive quality start since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester.

The interference call was the only out Capps got while posting his ninth save in 11 tries with Minnesota. Capps has 35 saves overall with Washington and the Twins.

The Twins remained 3½ games ahead of Chicago in the AL Central and completed a difficult stretch for them. Over the past five weeks, Minnesota played 17 games against contenders Tampa Bay, Texas and the White Sox.

Beginning with Monday's game against Kansas City, the Twins play 18 of their final 25 games against teams that are currently under .500.

Nick Blackburn (9-9) went seven innings in his third consecutive quality start since being recalled from the minors. C.J. Wilson (14-6) struggled for 5 1-3 innings, giving up all six runs on seven hits and had his seven-game winning streak come to an end.

Notes: As expected, Texas OF Josh Hamilton was not in the Rangers lineup a day after crashing into the left-field wall at Target Field and injuring his ribs. There is no timetable for a return to action for Hamilton, who leads the majors with a .361 batting average.

Interference rule in Rangers-Twins game

Texas third base coach Dave Anderson was called for interfering with Rangers runner Michael Young, resulting in the final out Sunday of a 6-5 loss to Minnesota.

Injured Texas star Hamilton unsure of return

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — AL batting leader Josh Hamilton isn't sure when his rib injury will heal enough for him to rejoin the lineup of the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

"I have no clue when I'll be back," he said Sunday. "I really don't. Your guess is as good as mine."

Hamilton ran into the left-field wall at Minnesota on Saturday and bruised his ribs. He said all he can do for now is apply ice and hope he feels better.

"I feel like I've been in a car wreck," he said.

Hamilton said he felt the same way last year after running into a wall at Toronto, an injury that forced him to miss 13 games.

Hamilton is hitting .361 with 31 home runs and 97 RBIs.

"Right now I want to get to a point as quickly as possible where I can swing, where I can do other things on the field (and) not going to make me have any setbacks," the All-Star outfielder said. "When I get to that point, I'll get after it."

Neither Hamilton nor Texas manager Ron Washington could put a timetable on when the slugger may return.

"With those ribs, you've got to give him a few days," Washington said. "I'm not going to question Hamilton. I'd say it is day-to-day."

The Rangers lead Oakland by eight games and have 26 games left in the regular season.

Texas' Cliff Lee will have next start delayed

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Texas Rangers will take a cautious approach with pitcher Cliff Lee and he will not make his scheduled start Tuesday at Toronto because of a sore back.