Ryan Dempster Makes Rangers Debut Against Angels

Newly acquired Ryan Dempster will make his debut with the Rangers on Thursday night in a crucial divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In perhaps the game of the year in Major League Baseball, the Rangers defeated the Angels 11-10 in extra innings on Wednesday night. Texas came back in their last at-bat on two different occasions, with Ian Kinsler evening things up in the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot that was followed by a four-run Ranger rally in the bottom of the 10th to walk-off.

Ron Washington now hands the ball to Dempster as the Rangers go for a split in the four-game series. Toiling away on a scuffling Cubs team, Dempster posted the second-lowest ERA (2.25) and third-lowest WHIP (1.04) in the NL through the first four months of the season. He was acquired by the Rangers just minutes before the deadline on Tuesday, and now two days laters he'll go up against one of the better lineups in the American League. The Angels lineup for the series finale:

Opposite Dempster will be C.J. Wilson, the former Rangers starter who will try to close the four-game deficit in the standings.