BALLINNNN!!!!! TEJADA ON CRUISE CONTROL

by Clive Dahlton

Texas -- Miguel Tejada continues hit 2002 hit parade, going 3-4, stroking two singles and launching an absolute no doubter over the left centerfield wall. Tejada is now batting .548, his home run today puts his season total at five. Miggy is gettin' on base at a .588 clip, and boasting a remarkable 1.653 ops. Texas manager Jerry Narron was beside himself when the question of Tejada came up in the post game presser. "I have NEVER seen a guy this hot to start the season," Narron exclaimed.

Mark Mulder (2-0, 1.69 ERA) dominated, pitching a complete game shutout, striking out nine in the process, only walking one, helping the Athletic's to a 1-0 shutout victory over Texas. "Mark uhh, toss realy good game. Good command uh, real good slider, and... he do real good," Oakland backstop Ramon Martinez said. The Athletics pitching has a combined 2.66 ERA, tops in the league, second to Montreal.

The win puts them in a tie with Seattle, who came away with a victory against the Angels.

BOXSCORE: 2002 Oakland Athletics At 2002 Texas Rangers               4/9/2002

  Athletics          AB  R  H RBI AVG     Rangers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  S.Hatteberg DH      4  0  0  0 .143     M.Young 2B          4  0  0  0 .148 
  M.Ellis 2B          4  0  0  0 .182     H.Perry 3B          4  0  2  0 .259 
  E.Chavez 3B         4  0  0  0 .267     A.Rodriguez SS      4  0  1  0 .250 
  M.Tejada SS         4  1  3  1 .548     J.Gonzalez RF       4  0  1  0 .222 
  J.Giambi LF         4  0  2  0 .500     R.Palmeiro 1B       4  0  0  0 .364 
  T.Long CF           4  0  0  0 .267     I.Rodriguez C       3  0  1  0 .296 
  O.Saenz 1B          4  0  1  0 .167     K.Mench LF          3  0  1  0 .286 
  D.Justice RF        4  0  2  0 .323     C.Everett DH        3  0  0  0 .280 
  R.Hernandez C       4  0  1  0 .125     G.Kapler CF         3  0  0  0 .188 
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---     
         Totals      36  1  9  1                 Totals      32  0  6  0


Athletics....... 0 0 0  0 0 1  0 0 0  -  1  9  0
Rangers......... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  0  6  0

Athletics (6-2)          IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA  SCORESHEET
M.Mulder WIN(2-0)         9       6   0   0   1   9   0 109   1.69  A1
Totals                    9       6   0   0   1   9   0

Rangers (3-4)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA  SCORESHEET
K.Rogers LOSS(0-2)        7 2/3   8   1   1   0   5   1 102   2.87  A1 D4
D.Miceli                  1 1/3   1   0   0   0   1   0  21   0.00  D5
Totals                    9       9   1   1   0   6   1

ATTENDANCE- 33,752 DATE- Tuesday, April 9th 2002 TIME- Night WEATHER- Average
UMPIRES- Marvin Hudson, Gary Cederstrom, Dale Scott, Ian Lamplugh
T- 2:39
LEFT ON BASE- Athletics: 8  Rangers: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Athletics: 1  Rangers: 0
DOUBLES- J.Giambi(3rd), D.Justice(2nd), H.Perry(2nd), A.Rodriguez(1st)
HOME RUNS- M.Tejada(5th)
WALKS- I.Rodriguez
STRIKE OUTS- S.Hatteberg, E.Chavez, J.Giambi, T.Long, O.Saenz, R.Hernandez,
             M.Young-2, R.Palmeiro-3, I.Rodriguez, C.Everett, G.Kapler-2
GIDP- K.Mench
WEB GEMS- Bot 7th: Mark Mulder robbed Kevin Mench of a base hit.