And we'll take it

Good times

Over 162 games, it takes all kinds. 

You'll have the blow-out, the 1-run game, the pitcher's duel, the laugher, batting practice, the doubleheader, the rain out and everything in between in Major League Baseball. 

It feels the Texas Rangers have won them all. Friday night, it was the rare 2-hour delay. And the Rangers won that one, too, 5-4. 

Other than the superb to just plain good pitching, it's this resiliency that provides the most hope for the Rangers. Just feels like over the past decade they lost goofball games like this. Sure, they'd go into the 2-hour break with a 5-3 lead, but it'd get choked up sooner or later and the game would be so late the morning paper wouldn't carry the box score, to pour salt into the wound. 

Nonetheless, the Rangers are 58-43 overall and 20-9 against AL West foes. Sad thing, the flippin' California Angels came back  on the Minnesota Twins, so there remains three games between the Angels and Rangers in the division. 

For the record, the Rangers finished July 17-8 and still wound up three games out. Dang. 

Notes: 

1. I said that Vicente Padilla had to show up in the second half. Still waiting. However, his six innings Friday night were pretty effective and efficient. 

2. After 46.1 innings last season, C.J. Wilson had 41 strikeouts and 27 walks and a 6.02 ERA. Wilson didn't toss another inning. Through 46.1 innings this season, Wilson's got 44 K, 19 BB and a 2.72 ERA. 

3. How gigantic was signing Omar Vizquel in light of Elvis Andrus' development and, now, Ian Kinsler's bad hammy? The 42-year-old is still better than 80 percent of the infielders in the league and he's hitting .299. 

4. You'd think Marlon Byrd's playing for a contract. He set his career single-season mark for homers with No. 11, a 3-run shot. 

5. I think a big part of the Rangers success: Only six teams have allowed fewer walks than Rangers pitching. Only six bullpens have allowed fewer walks than the Rangers'.