Who could have figured that a man who spent the past two seasons pitching in Japan could turn out to be such an impact player for the Texas Rangers this year? If Jon Daniels and the rest of the team’s front office says so, I wouldn’t believe them. 31-year-old Colby Lewis who only had 34 career starts entering the year turned out to be an anchor on the Rangers’ pitching staff and especially clutch in the post-season.
Lewis went eight innings of three-hit one-run ball to beat the Yankees in Game 6 of the ALCS, sending the Rangers to their first World Series. He walked three and struck out seven and seemed to get out of trouble any time there was a threat. When the Yankees scored their first run in the 5th (on a b.s. call), Lewis stranded Jorge Posada on second with two outs following Posada’s double. When Lance Berkman tripled in the 7th with two outs, Lewis induced a flyout to end the inning. Even when Lewis had passed the 100-pitch threshold, he managed to strike out Derek Jeter in the 8th — the last batter he faced.
Colby Lewis beat the Yankees twice in the ALCS — once in Game 2 and on Friday night in Game 6. Each outing he threw 102 pitches, but the difference was he went eight innings in Game 6. Lewis gave the bullpen a break and made it possible for the team to open up the World Series with the unconquerable Cliff Lee on the mound in Game 1 by coming up with the big start.
Phil Hughes turned out to be an exposed weakness for the Yankees, but who could have ever expected Colby Lewis would be such a strength for Texas? The man now has a 1.45 ERA in three postseason starts. He sure has been impressive and will make the Rangers more insurmountable if he keeps it up in the World Series.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
