Cole Hamels gets KO'd by Blue Jays bats in ALDS Game 1

Cole Hamels didn't make it out of the fourth inning in Game 1. (Getty Images)

The Toronto Blue Jays’ bats came alive in Arlington, chasing Texas Rangers starter Cole Hamels in the fourth inning, to win Game 1 of the ALDS 10-1.

The offensive onslaught began in the third inning, as the Blue Jays put up five runs, three of them coming from Troy Tulowitzki’s bases-clearing triple. Hamels returned in the fourth and allowed a leadoff home run to Melvin Upton Jr. that made it 6-0 and Josh Donaldson’s RBI single three batters later ended Hamels’ outing. The Rangers’ bullpen came in and kept the Blue Jays quiet until the ninth, when Jose Bautista blasted a three-run homer off Jake Diekman. Given the turbulent recent history between the two teams dating back to their emotional playoff series last year, that added insult to injury.

While the run support was certainly appreciated, Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada didn’t need it. Estrada pitched 8 1/3 innings, allowing the one Texas run in the ninth, and the Blue Jays stole a game from the Rangers on the road.

• Estrada was tremendous, carrying the form from his final three regular-season starts (two earned runs over 19 innings) into this one. He couldn’t pull off the complete game shutout – it would have been the first of his career – but he happily took the win and the lead in the series.

• Donaldson is putting his September struggles behind, going 4-for-4 with a walk. The reigning AL MVP also did well in the AL wild-card game against the Baltimore Orioles with two hits and a run. That’s a great sign for Toronto going forward.

• Tulowitzki had three hits, the biggest happening in the third with his three-RBI triple. His great defense at shortstop cannot be overstated, either.

• Elvis Andrus had two of Texas’ four hits, including a triple in the ninth inning and he scored the Rangers’ only run.

• Hamels’ sterling postseason reputation took a bit of a hit with this start. The 2008 World Series MVP didn’t get out of the fourth and gave up seven runs. Take into account his rough final month of the season and there’s plenty of reason for the Rangers to be worried.

• So every Rangers hitter, minus Andrus? The rest of the lineup managed two hits and no walks. Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy and Shin-Soo Choo each struck out twice.

 

Some people thought the Texas Rangers might have the best one-two punch in the postseason with Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish atop their rotation. In Game 1 of the American League Division Series there was a punch all right — but it was Hamels getting KO’d by the Toronto Blue Jays bats.

(And, no, not the Rougned Odor-meets-Jose Bautista type of KO).

Hamels was hammered in the first four innings Thursday, allowing seven runs on six hits. The home crowd at Globe Life Park grew restless, some even booing Hamels, until manager Jeff Banister gave him the hook with one out in the fourth inning following Josh Donaldson’s RBI single that made it 7-0.

That’s not a good outing for anyone in the postseason, let alone the Rangers’ Game 1 ace. And for Hamels — a former World Series MVP who came into the game with a respectable 3.03 ERA in 15 career postseason starts — this was particularly out of character.

Cole Hamels has allowed 6 ER in 3+ innings, which equals his total of his previous 5 postseason starts combined. #ALDS

— Richard Justice (@richardjustice) October 6, 2016

It looked like Hamels might get the hook during Toronto’s five-run third inning, but the Rangers stuck with him to start the fourth and were immediately disappointed when Melvin Upton Jr. led off the inning with a homer.

Hamels wasn’t alone in being worth a groan. The Rangers defense sure didn’t help. After Upton’s homer, Devon Travis reached on an error, then went to second on a passed ball, setting up Donaldson’s RBI single.

In the third, Ezequiel Carrera walked and advanced on a wild pitch. He scored when Donaldson doubled off Adrian Beltre’s glove, which didn’t appear to be open. After two more singles (one off Hamels’ glove) and a walk, centerfielder Ian Desmond misplayed a deep fly ball by Troy Tulowitzki that brought home three Blue Jays runs.

And while that contributed, Hamels still owns a lot of the blame. Five of the six hits he allowed came on two strikes. That’s not getting it done, plain and simple.