Bad game by ‘Big Game James’ sinks Rays in Game 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — Tampa Bay starter “Big Game” James Shields failed live up to his nickname in Game 2 of the AL championship series.

Shields cruised through the first three innings Saturday night, then got himself into all sorts of trouble in the fourth and wound up leaving without getting an out in the sixth. He was tagged for a total of seven runs in an 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers that evened this AL division series at a game each.

The All-Star right-hander had given up just one run over 17 innings this season to Texas and was in a perfect spot to help send the Rays home with a chance to clinch a spot in the next round.

Staked to a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth, what could go wrong?

Everything.

He hit a batter, then gave up a hard hit. Soon, there were more hits, another hit batter and a pair of wild pitches. He was nicked for five runs that inning. Even more uncharacteristic was the fact he threw two wild pitches and hit two batters. Over 249 1-3 innings in the regular season, Shields hit five guys and had four wild pitches.

Shields got into more trouble in the sixth, and the bullpen couldn’t bail him out of it. He ended up losing Game 2 to the Rangers, just like he did in this round last season.

This was the first time the home team won in seven postseason games between these clubs. The Rays hope its the start of a new trend with the series shifting to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday.

Texas’ Derek Holland seemed like the starter more likely to fall apart, especially after he gave up a bases-loaded walk in the first inning. He got himself in trouble again in the fourth with a two-out throwing error, then giving up a homer to No. 9 hitter Matt Joyce.

All James had to do was keep throwing strikes, but he opened the bottom of the fourth by plunking Elvis Andrus on the elbow. Josh Hamilton followed with a shot through the teeth of an overshifted right-side of the infield. Michael Young singled to left, loading the bases, then the first pitch to Adrian Beltre conked him just below the knee.

With the bases still loaded, Mike Napoli hit a rocket to left field on a 3-2 count — with fans chanting “Na-po-li! Na-po-li!” — that tied the game. Shields struck out Nelson Cruz then got wild again. A ball on a 1-2 count to David Murphy moved runners to second and third, then another wild pitch on what would’ve been strike three brought in the go-ahead run for Texas. A slow-rolling infield groundout by Mitch Moreland drove in the fifth run.

Texas got what looked like a pair of insurance runs in the sixth, with Napoli and Cruz getting singles to knock out Shields, then both scoring on a double by Ian Kinsler off reliever Juan Cruz.

Down 7-3, the Rays made things interesting when Evan Longoria hit a three-run homer off reliever Koji Uehara in the seventh. Uehara was pulled without getting an out, then relievers Darren Oliver and Mike Adams kept Tampa Bay from getting anyone else on base.

Mitch Moreland stretched Texas’ lead with a solo homer off Brandon Gomes in the eighth.

Longoria walked in the ninth off closer Neftali Feliz, but Ben Zobrist flew out to right field to end it.

NOTES: David Price will pitch Game 3 for the Rays. The left-hander lost to Texas twice in this round last year, but both were opposite Cliff Lee. Colby Lewis will start Game 3 for the Rangers. ... Texas had never won a division series game at home, going 0-7. ... Tampa Bay, which needed an epic comeback to make the playoffs, had won six straight, the final five of the regular season and Game 1. ... Moreland hadn’t homered in Arlington since June 21.