Mr. Holland's opus enables Texas to get even once more
Monday, October 24, 2011
Texas left-hander Derek Holland limited the Cardinals to two hits, a night after they scored 16 runs.
View Larger ImagesMore Sports
- Err Oakland: Quarterbacks rusty as Chiefs win 28-0 10.24.11
- Kyle Boller's 1 good drive that got away 10.24.11
- Raiders Game review 10.24.11
Fan Shop:
Get your
Team gear here
Arlington, Texas -- - Derek Holland's evening began with a slap on the cheek and ended with laughter, a plea and the victory in the Rangers' 4-0 series-tying win over the Cardinals in Game 4 of the World Series.
First, the slap.
Just before Holland left the dugout for the biggest start of his young life Sunday evening, his manager grabbed his shoulders, looked him in the eye and popped him on the cheek.
"It was just a general message (of what) he's capable of doing out there," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.
Holland said it was more specific than that.
" 'I know you like to go in on guys,' " he said Washington told him. " 'Don't try to hit anybody.' "
Holland and Washington faced one another again in the ninth inning, after the young left-hander had done everything the Rangers hoped he'd do and a lot more.
There was one out and a runner on first base with the Rangers leading 4-0. Washington went to the mound to get Holland.
Holland told him he knew he could get a double-play grounder out of Allen Craig, and would Washington please give him the opportunity?
"He was begging," Washington said.
" 'If you want to stay out here,' " Washington told him, " 'get on your knees.' "
And?
"He walked off the field."
Holland laughed when he heard Washington's version.
"He was like, 'No, you ain't going in there, son,' " Holland said. "And I was like, 'OK.' And then he gave that nice little laugh. I was trying everything I could to stay out there, but unfortunately I couldn't."
Holland made his way off the field to a huge ovation from the 51,539 at the Ballpark in Arlington. Rangers closer Neftali Feliz got the final two outs of a victory that evens the series at 2-2.
The Rangers scored a run for Holland in the first inning, and he made it stand until Mike Napoli's three-run homer broke open the game in the sixth.
Twenty-four hours after the Cardinals pounded out 15 hits in a 16-7 Game 3 victory, Holland stopped them cold.
He began the game by emphasizing his off-speed stuff but also mixed in his 95-mph heater in allowing just two hits in 8 1/3 innings of work in his very first World Series start.
"He's a fighter," Washington said. "He gives you everything he has."
Albert Pujols? After making World Series history with a record-tying three home runs in Game 3, he got almost nothing in the middle of the plate. Holland mixed in off-speed and breaking stuff and was very cautious throwing him fastballs. Pujols didn't get a ball out of the infield in three at-bats against Holland.
"I just wanted to go right after him," Holland said. "He's a great hitter, but I wanted to make him see my 'A' game as well."
This is the Derek Holland who emerged during the summer for the Rangers. He's the 25-year-old left-hander with killer stuff and guts to pitch inside.
He was coming off a brutal performance against the Giants in the 2010 World Series. He pitched in relief in Game 2, entering with the Rangers down 2-0 in the eighth inning, and threw only one strike in 13 pitches, walking all three batters he faced.
Even so, the Rangers believed he'd play a big role this season. Maybe they didn't expect him to tie for the American League lead in shutouts or go 16-5, but they believed he had a chance to be pretty good.
When they were unable to re-sign Cliff Lee last winter, they went right out and spent his money on third baseman Adrian Beltre instead of another pitcher.
The Rangers wanted Lee back, and not in a small way. But general manager Jon Daniels also believed he had some young pitchers - Holland and Matt Harrison and Alexi Ogando - on their way to being more than solid.
Holland was that for most of this season, finishing among the American League leaders in an assortment of pitching categories. His four shutouts tied him with James Shields for the league lead.
This postseason had not been kind to him, and the Rangers probably had no idea what to expect of him. By the time he was done Sunday, he'd become the fourth pitcher in 40 years to pitch at least eight scoreless innings and allow two hits or fewer in a World Series game.
"He just worked us over and shut us down," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.
His 8 1/3 innings is the longest scoreless appearance in a World Series game since Andy Pettitte also went 8 1/3 against Atlanta in Game 5 in 1996.
"I wanted to show that I belong here," he said. "This was a dream. I wanted to pitch in the World Series and get a win."
First, the slap.
Just before Holland left the dugout for the biggest start of his young life Sunday evening, his manager grabbed his shoulders, looked him in the eye and popped him on the cheek.
"It was just a general message (of what) he's capable of doing out there," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.
Holland said it was more specific than that.
" 'I know you like to go in on guys,' " he said Washington told him. " 'Don't try to hit anybody.' "
Holland and Washington faced one another again in the ninth inning, after the young left-hander had done everything the Rangers hoped he'd do and a lot more.
There was one out and a runner on first base with the Rangers leading 4-0. Washington went to the mound to get Holland.
Holland told him he knew he could get a double-play grounder out of Allen Craig, and would Washington please give him the opportunity?
"He was begging," Washington said.
" 'If you want to stay out here,' " Washington told him, " 'get on your knees.' "
And?
"He walked off the field."
Holland laughed when he heard Washington's version.
"He was like, 'No, you ain't going in there, son,' " Holland said. "And I was like, 'OK.' And then he gave that nice little laugh. I was trying everything I could to stay out there, but unfortunately I couldn't."
Holland made his way off the field to a huge ovation from the 51,539 at the Ballpark in Arlington. Rangers closer Neftali Feliz got the final two outs of a victory that evens the series at 2-2.
The Rangers scored a run for Holland in the first inning, and he made it stand until Mike Napoli's three-run homer broke open the game in the sixth.
Twenty-four hours after the Cardinals pounded out 15 hits in a 16-7 Game 3 victory, Holland stopped them cold.
He began the game by emphasizing his off-speed stuff but also mixed in his 95-mph heater in allowing just two hits in 8 1/3 innings of work in his very first World Series start.
"He's a fighter," Washington said. "He gives you everything he has."
Albert Pujols? After making World Series history with a record-tying three home runs in Game 3, he got almost nothing in the middle of the plate. Holland mixed in off-speed and breaking stuff and was very cautious throwing him fastballs. Pujols didn't get a ball out of the infield in three at-bats against Holland.
"I just wanted to go right after him," Holland said. "He's a great hitter, but I wanted to make him see my 'A' game as well."
This is the Derek Holland who emerged during the summer for the Rangers. He's the 25-year-old left-hander with killer stuff and guts to pitch inside.
He was coming off a brutal performance against the Giants in the 2010 World Series. He pitched in relief in Game 2, entering with the Rangers down 2-0 in the eighth inning, and threw only one strike in 13 pitches, walking all three batters he faced.
Even so, the Rangers believed he'd play a big role this season. Maybe they didn't expect him to tie for the American League lead in shutouts or go 16-5, but they believed he had a chance to be pretty good.
When they were unable to re-sign Cliff Lee last winter, they went right out and spent his money on third baseman Adrian Beltre instead of another pitcher.
The Rangers wanted Lee back, and not in a small way. But general manager Jon Daniels also believed he had some young pitchers - Holland and Matt Harrison and Alexi Ogando - on their way to being more than solid.
Holland was that for most of this season, finishing among the American League leaders in an assortment of pitching categories. His four shutouts tied him with James Shields for the league lead.
This postseason had not been kind to him, and the Rangers probably had no idea what to expect of him. By the time he was done Sunday, he'd become the fourth pitcher in 40 years to pitch at least eight scoreless innings and allow two hits or fewer in a World Series game.
"He just worked us over and shut us down," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.
His 8 1/3 innings is the longest scoreless appearance in a World Series game since Andy Pettitte also went 8 1/3 against Atlanta in Game 5 in 1996.
"I wanted to show that I belong here," he said. "This was a dream. I wanted to pitch in the World Series and get a win."
Richard Justice is a columnist for the Houston Chronicle. E-mail comments to sportinggreen@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/23/SPG31LLCN5.DTL#ixzz1bhEMAf9g
