Derek Holland is known for two things: not being able to grow a mustache, and mixing in complete-game shutouts between a handful of poor outings. His upper-90s fastball from the left side is probably what he'll be known for more soon, but for now he drew the mustache/shut out card. There are worse things to be known for.
World Series Game 4: Hamilton Gets Rangers On Board First
If he's a classic Jekyll/Hyde pitcher, though, the Rangers have to be impressed with how he threw in the first inning. Eleven pitches, eight for strikes, getting the second out of the inning by striking Allen Craig out with a nasty slider.
The breezy first inning looked even better in the bottom of the first, when the Rangers got a run to support Holland. Elvis Andrus singled off Edwin Jackson with one out, and he came around to score on a Josh Hamilton double into the right-field corner.
Jackson then walked Michael Young on four pitches, putting Young halfway to his April total for walks. Adrian Beltre struck out on a 57-foot breaking ball for the second out of the inning, but Jackson walked Nelson Cruz to load the bases. The inning ended when David Murphy lofted a fly ball into the left-field gap that was tracked down by Matt Holliday.
Twenty-five pitches for Jackson, four base runners, and just one run. Hope Jake Westbrook brought his cleats to the stadium.
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