On This Date in Sports August 22, 2007: Blowout
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The Texas Rangers pummel the Baltimore Orioles 30-3 in the first game of a twi-night doubleheader at Camden Yards. The 30-3 score is the biggest rout in modern MLB history. The Rangers get two home runs and seven RBI for their eighth and ninth hitters, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vasquez. Texas hits six home runs in the game, as they did their scoring in the later innings, overcoming an early 3-0 deficit. The Rangers would win the second game of the doubleheader 9-7, completing the sweep.
Neither the Texas Rangers nor Baltimore Orioles were having good seasons. A doubleheader was needed for Wednesday after a game at Camden Yards was rained out on Monday night. Under first-year manager Ron Washington, the Rangers stood at 54-70, while the Orioles were floundering at 58-65 for Sam Perlozo. In the opener of the Kasson Gabbard made the start for Texas, while Daniel Cabrera got the call for the Orioles.
In a game, they would lose by 27 runs; the Orioles struck first, scoring in the first inning as Brian Roberts had a leadoff double and scored on a single by Corey Patterson. The Orioles added two runs in the third inning to lead 3-0 as Nick Markakis had a ground-rule double and scored on a single by Miguel Tejada. The game turned in the fourth inning, as the Rangers loaded the bases with one out and scored two runs on a single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Ramon Vasquez followed with a three-run homer that gave Texas a 5-3 lead.
The Rangers blew the game open in the sixth inning with nine runs to make it 14-3. The onslaught started with a home run by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. After loading the bases against reliever Brian Burress, Marlon Byrd hit a grand slam that broke the backs of Baltimore. After Jason Botts struck out, the Rangers began a singles parade with six straight hits, scoring four runs, the last coming against Rob Bell, who relieved the ineffective Burress.
Rob Bell had an excellent seventh but unraveled in the eighth, as the Rangers scored ten runs. Texas loaded the bases with a hit and two walks before Frank Catalanotto had an RBI single. Ian Kinsler followed with a single before Travis Metcalf hit a grand slam to make it 20-3. Paul Shuey came in as the Rangers continued to pour it on. David Murphy had an RBI single, while Saltalamacchia hit a three-run homer to make it a three-touchdown lead. Shuey remained in the game in the ninth inning and gave up six runs, the last coming on a three-run home run by Ramon Vasquez.
The Rangers' 30-3 win is the most runs scored in American League history and the most since the Chicago Colts beat the Louisville Colonels 36–7 in 1897. All ten players who came to the plate for the Rangers recorded a hit and scored a run, including Travis Metcalf, who had a grand slam after replacing Michael Young in the seventh inning. Kesson Gabbard earned the win, pitching six innings while allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Wes Littleton pitched the final three innings and earned a 27-run save, allowing two hits.