Rays Vs. Rangers, ALDS Game 2: James Shields, C.J. Wilson Sharp Early On

There were questions about both starting pitchers coming into the game. For the Rays, James Shields has battled with home runs all season long. For the Rangers, C.J. Wilson can lose his command from time to time and struggle with walks.

Each starter has looked sharp in the early going, though. Shields made quick work of the top of the Rangers lineup in the first, striking out both Michael Young and Josh Hamilton, and then pitched around a Nelson Cruz double in the second. Through two innings, Shields has thrown 31 pitches, and looks to be comfortable.

Meanwhile, Wilson has matched Shields' scoreless frames with two of his own. The first saw him get around a Jason Bartlett leadoff single, inducing an Evan Longoria grounder back to the mound to end the threat, and the second saw him go 1-2-3 through Ben Zobrist, Willy Aybar, and Kelly Shoppach. The big play of the inning was a diving catch made by Hamilton in center to rob Aybar of a base hit.