Losing streak ends ... after 14 innings

I'm so glad this was not a West Coast game. I don't know if I could have stayed up until 2 a.m. watching/listening to this. Good grief. I got home around 8 p.m., after an alumni function, and thought for sure I'd only catch the tail end. Well, I did, but it was a very long tail!! But if a long game is what this team needed to get out of the losing column, I'll take it. You know, on second thought ... if this had been a West Coast game, I'd have stayed up all night for that conclusion.

But before I gush about my unsurprising KISS of the night, I'll talk about the team in general.

Gabbard looked really good tonight. Despite those few walks he surrendered, I thought he looked a lot more in control than he did the last time I saw him pitch. He didn't seem to labor too much either. It's only too bad he didn't get a win. He certainly pitched well enough for one.

On the whole, it was a decent game. Hitters were more patient, and the defense looked a lot better. It's still not perfect, but at least it wasn't ugly. That RISP stat is going to keep haunting us, I'm afraid. I don't know what the team can do to work on that ... except keep plugging away.

Michael Young went and got a few balls he hadn't gotten to the last few weeks. He didn't make that play on the hit up the middle, but that's okay. He stopped it from going into the outfield, so I'll take it. I'm honestly not that worried about Young's defense, and it disgusts me that people actually think he should be moved or traded. He's a veteran player and has been our Mr. Reliable for several seasons now. He will come around. And when he does, hopefully the youngsters are holding up their great play as well.

Josh Hamilton ran down some long hits out there in right field. He has amazing reads on the ball, and seems to get a good jump no matter where he plays. I look forward to seeing him play in person in about a month.

Milton Bradley and Frank Catalanotto both looked really good at the plate tonight. Frank is probably very comfortable hitting in Toronto, but he also just really seemed to be seeing the ball well. He didn't look so lost at the plate.

The whole night was capped off perfectly when C.J. Wilson earned his fourth save of the season.

KISS: C'mon. You knew he'd get this the first time he had a really good game. Jason Botts finally got another start at 1B tonight, and although he struckout twice, I would still call his night at the plate a success. With a homer and a long double, he had a nice 3 RBI night. I know this still won't shut up the Botts bashers, but I am THRILLED for him. It must feel really good to finally get his first hits and RBIs of the season AND bring his average up to .222. Hey - it's better than .000.

MISS: Joaquin Benoit. I usually feel secure with him coming into the game (unlike with Jamey Wright), but he got into some big trouble tonight. Loading the bases and then walking in a run. Wes Littleton had to come in and try and clean up the mess. He did a fair job (and looked GREAT in the 9th)-- the best he could do in that situation, but Ben Broussard (a defensive replacement, no less) made a horrible throw and the lead was lost.

I really hope Vicente Padilla is ready to go the distance tomorrow night. Our bullpen is taxed (as is the Bluejays' bullpen). Would love to see the first complete game by a Ranger pitcher in a long time, but I guess it depends which Padilla shows up.

P.S. I will not have a voice tomorrow/today after all my screaming. I'm sure glad I don't share any walls with neighbors or they'd have likely called the police on me by now. And how would I explain the noise?