--The Rangers handed out their minor league awards for April, and the results underscore that the team's Latin American scouting efforts are not limited to the Dominican Republic. All three players honored -- RHP Wilfredo Boscan, C Manny Pina and OF David Paisano -- are from Venezuela. While Boscan (19) and Pina (21) were both signed as free agents, Paisano (21) was the second player the Rangers acquired in the Brandon McCarthy-John Danks deal.
--RHP Frank Francisco pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth inning Wednesday for his third save in as many days. It is the first time since he became the closer that he has pitched three straight days. Francisco used a steady diet of fastballs to strike out both Jason Giambi and Matt Holliday on the way to the save. It was his 14th consecutive save since becoming the Rangers' closer last August. He's not allowed an earned run in that time, a stretch of 25 2/3 innings. --RHP Kevin Millwood pitched into the eighth inning Monday. He has pitched at least seven innings in all six of his starts and he has outlasted his opponent in all but one outing this year. The one time he didn't outlast the opponent was against Kansas City's Zack Greinke. Both pitchers threw nine-inning complete games.
BY THE NUMBERS: 8 -- Leadoff homers for 2B Ian Kinsler in his Texas career, which ties the club record held by Mike Hargrove, Oddibe McDowell and Michael Young. Kinsler hit leadoff homers in two of three games over the weekend series against Chicago to tie the mark. He has only been hitting leadoff since the start of the 2008 season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I definitely lead the league in weird injuries. I'm embarrassed, really. Somebody asks you why you came out and you say, 'Um, I was dizzy.' And then they ask you again and you say, 'I think I got something in my eye.' I'd much rather be run over, that's more manly. I played last year with some injuries and I want to play every day. I don't want anything to keep me out of the lineup." -- C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, on the pair of strange injuries (dizziness, eye irritation) that have forced him to miss time this season.
