Rangers top prospect Perez in his first Major League start

Rangers top pitching prospect gets the W in his first career start. Goes 5 and a 1/3 giving up just the 2 runs.

His velocity was much better than anticipated as reports out of AAA said he was only hitting the low 90s on his fastball but was in the mid-90s Saturday night.  He struck out 5 which is higher than his average had been in the minor leagues this year.


I was impressed with how Perez used mixed up his pitches and had good relatively command giving up just one walk but did have a wild pitch in the 4th inning.  I also liked that Perez got the leadoff man out in every inning but his last in the 6th when he gave up a leadoff double to Yoenis Cespedes. Wash came out to get his pitcher after he got Johnny Gomes for the first out but he didn't want him to face Chris Carter who homered earlier in the game off Perez.

Definitely earns another start and we will see what he can do versus the Twins on Friday, July 6th.

Eagles better than Cowboys? Part V

It doesn't seem to make logical sense but there are times when a single play can change the course of a teams season for the better or in this case, the worse. The Eagles were 1-2 at the time but the difference of 1-3 to 2-2 is tremendous I feel to a team's mental state with back to back losses at home. 

Here is the play

9:00 in the 3rd quarter - 49ers have the ball, 2nd and 6 at their own 24 who trail 23-3 in the game. Alex Smith evades pressure running to his right but Kendall Hunter who was in the flat turns upfield just beyond the Eagle defenders covering him.
 
Smith finds Hunter who goes for 44 yards instantly changing field position and the course of the game completely. Just an excellent play by Smith and credit to Hunter moving into the vacated area giving his QB a target.

The 49ers score two touchdowns within the next 6 minutes while the Eagles kicker misses two field goals inside of 40 yards in the fourth quarter. They end up losing 23-24 with the talented Eagle offense managing only 7 points in the fourth quarter in the first 4 games with zero in the 3 losses.

The Eagles wrap their dreadful start to the season with a loss the following week to the Bills 24-31.

Record 1-4 but next up are the Redskins & Cowboys.