Cole Hamels gives up a game-tying two-run single in the fifth inning to seal an Angels comeback that shouldn’t have been.

The Rangers have yet to win a game in May. But it’s not time to panic just yet. Simply play better defense in center field.

While the Rangers defense overall has been superb this year, with a current streak of eight straight games without an error, it was a ball that should have easily been caught that started the gradual unravelling of yesterday’s game.

Or, more aptly, it started the unravelling of Cole Hamel. After being staked to a 4-1 lead, Hamels started the fifth inning by striking out Shane Robinson. Then he induced a bloop pop up off the bat of Cliff Pennington to shallow center for the second out of the inning.

Only it didn’t turn into an out. DeShields misread the ball and let it drop for a single. What should have been two outs and nobody on suddenly snowballed from there.

Hamels walked the next two batters to load the bases. When it was all over, three runs scored and the game was tied.

Exhausted after being inhumanely forced to throw eighty-seven pitches—in one game!—Hamels was taken out.

From there, the Rangers bullpen gifted the Angels with five runs, and pinned a 9-6 loss on the Rangers.

In the end, Texas was done in by shoddy defense and a shaky bullpen.

If the Rangers are ever going to win a game in May, they need to get their defense in center figured straightened out and their bullpen right.

***

Yu Darvish threw two scoreless innings in his first rehab start for Double-A Frisco, walking one and striking out two. He left the game to a standing ovation, after which he said, “I’m glad fans didn’t forget me for not pitching in more than a year.” Darvish is a former pitcher for the Japanese league who currently pitches for the Texas Rangers of the American League.

***

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Josh Hamilton’s rehab has been put on hold. After playing just four innings in his first game for Double-A Frisco on Saturday, Hamilton’s knee flaired up while running the bases, requiring a cortisone shot for the pain. The over/under of games Hamilton will play in this season remains at four.

***

Four weeks of baseball are in the books. Despite losing yesterday, the Rangers won two of three against Los Anaheim, giving them five series wins out of eight this season. Overall, they are 5-2-1. They finished the week going 4-2 against the Yankees and the Angels. This week they go on the road for four in Toronto, followed by three in Detroit.

*****
TONIGHT’S GAME.

A. J. Griffin (3-0, 2.52) vs. R. A. Dickey (1-3, 6.75)
Game time: 6:07 pm.

How the Blue Jays hit against Griffin.
How the Rangers hit againt Dickey.