Reliever Eddie Guardado let his frustration with his poor start show through Thursday. He was ejected for arguing balls and strikes and then tossed his glove and hat into the stands.
Guardado had just walked Oakland's Jack Cust on four pitches to force in a run. Cust was the only batter of the game that Guardado faced. Guardado argued with plate umpire Angel Campos after he was removed. After the incident, Guardado blamed himself for letting his frustration with his poor performance spill over. None of the four pitches was close, though Guardado said at the time he thought his 1-0 pitch might have been close.
"It's not the umpire's fault," Guardado said. "It's my fault. It was all me. I looked back on the video and there was nobody to blame but me. Even if the ball should have been a strike, there is nobody to blame but me. I've got to get the job done, and I'm not doing it."
Guardado has essentially become a left-handed specialist, and he's struggled in the role. He has allowed three of the last four left-handers he's faced to reach base.
Lefties have reached base against him eight times in 14 plate appearances this season (.571 on-base percentage).
Guardado is likely to receive discipline from Major League Baseball due to the hat and glove throwing, though whether the well-respected veteran will get a suspension is uncertain.
A'S 4, RANGERS 2: The Rangers wasted two middle-inning opportunities and watched Oakland take advantage of two similar opportunities later. The Rangers finished April with a 10-11 record.
The Rangers' best opportunity came in the fifth when they had runners at second and third and nobody out. But 3B Michael Young popped up to second, and after LF Andruw Jones was walked intentionally to load the bases, DH Hank Blalock also popped to second. The inning ended with OF Nelson Cruz striking out.
