Today in Rangers History: Road to Division Championship
On this date in Texas Rangers history, the Rangers opened the 1998 season at home with a 9-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
The game was on March 31, 1998 and, at the time, it qualified as the earliest season-opener for the Rangers. While it ended in a loss in front of 45,909 at The Ballpark in Arlington, the Rangers ended up the season where they wanted — champions of the American League West division.
The White Sox jumped on the Rangers in the fifth inning of a scoreless game, scoring seven runs off Rangers starter John Burkett, who left the game that inning. He gave up seven runs, six hits, two walks and struck out one. Jaime Navarro was the beneficiary of that tremendous run support, but he had a good game in his own right. Navarro threw six innings and gave up just five hits for his first win of the season.
Mike Cameron, Frank Thomas, Albert Belle, and Robin Ventura all drove in two runs. Ventura also homered.
Center fielder Tom Goodwin led off for the Rangers and had three hits in five plate appearances, scoring one of the Rangers’ two runs. Will Clark had two hits. Juan González and Iván Rodríguez drove in the Rangers’ two runs.
The Rangers finished that season 88-74, spending 94 days in first place, including September 27, the day that the Rangers clinched the division crown. Their biggest lead of the season was six games on May 27, and as late as September 6, the Rangers were 3 1/2 games down in the division race, but rallied down the stretch to claim the division.
Also on this date …
March 31, 2008: The Rangers opened the regular season on the road and lost to Seattle, 5-2. Kevin Millwood took the loss for the Rangers, throwing six innings and giving up just two runs. His reliever, Kazuo Fukumori, gave up the other three runs (he made four appearances with the Rangers and never appeared in the Majors again). Infielder Michael Young had a big day, going 3-for-5 with a run and RBI. Outfielder David Murphy went 2-for-4.
March 31, 2013: The Rangers opened the season on the road at Houston, falling to the Astros, 8-2. Matt Harrison gave up six runs and six hits in less than six innings of work as he drew the Opening Day start and took the loss. Bud Norris took the win for Houston. Former Astros outfielder Lance Berkman had two hits for the Rangers, as did outfielder Nelson Cruz.
March 31, 2014: The Rangers opened the season at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington against Philadelphia, with the Phillies winning the game, 14-10. Former Rangers starter Cliff Lee took the win for the Phillies, while Tanner Scheppers started for the injury-ravaged Rangers, but reliever Pedro Figueroa took the loss. Outfielder Alex Ríos had a huge game for the Rangers, going 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs and three runs batted in. Rangers second baseman Josh Wilson drove in three runs, while outfielder Leonys Martín drove in two runs.
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