Read More: Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels

This past week has not been kind to the Los Angeles Angels (67-59), who sit six games back of the Texas Rangers (73-53) in the AL West. The Rangers increased their lead in the division over the past seven days with six wins in seven contests, including three of four games against the Angels. The Angels, meanwhile, lost five of their seven games.

The Angels, however, have snapped a five-game losing streak and are currently riding a two-game winning streak. This weekend, they play two games against the Baltimore Orioles (47-75), who have lost six of their last eight and three straight overall. The Rangers take on the Chicago White Sox (61-63), who are riding a three-game losing streak of their own.

In tonight’s game against the Orioles, the Angels will put Joel Piniero (5-6) on the mound against Tommy Hunter (2-2). The series will conclude on Sunday when new pitcher Jerome Williams (0-0), who was recently called up from Triple-A Salt Lake, will start against Baltimore’s Brian Matusz (1-5).

The Angels will need to build on their two-game winning streak against the Orioles this weekend in order to keep up with the Rangers. The Angels, however, will get a shot to really make up some ground in the AL West when the two teams meet up again for a three-day series beginning next Friday. Let’s hope that the Angels are riding an even bigger winning streak by the time that the Angels-Rangers series rolls around. 

John Danks is still looking for his first victory this season for Chicago White Sox, even after a complete game against a Texas lineup that got back its two sluggers.

Once again, Danks got no offensive support from his own lineup, and the White Sox lost 4-0 to the Rangers.

Reigning AL MVP Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz both homered in their return for the defending American League champions to back the first career shutout for Alexi Ogando (5-0), a five-hitter.

“(Danks) threw the ball very well, but he made a couple mistakes to the wrong guys. He did a good job, but Ogando was better,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “We couldn’t do much. We hit a couple balls hard, but we couldn’t do anything with it.”

Danks is the first White Sox pitcher since Neil Allen in 1987 to start a season 0-7. The left-hander is one of only five major league pitchers this season with at least seven starts without a win.

The White Sox have scored only four runs for Danks in his five road starts this season.

“He’s had only one bad game. But we’re not doing anything to help him and that’s the problem,” Guillen said. “You tell him it’s not your fault, keep your head up. He gives us a chance to win every time out except one game.”

Danks, drafted ninth overall by Texas in 2003 and traded to Chicago three years later, struck out three and walked two while 71 of 105 pitches for strikes. It was his third career complete game, and first this season.

“It’s tough to lose. I say the same thing after every start. I felt good,” Danks said. “I just made a couple mistakes and got outpitched.”

Hamilton and Cruz were back in the Rangers lineup together for the first time since April 12, when Hamilton broke a bone in his upper right arm trying to score with a headfirst slide. Cruz had last played May 3 before a strained left quadriceps.

Both wrapped up rehab assignments Sunday at Triple-A Round Rock, and were activated before Monday’s game.

Hamilton pulled an 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall in the first to put Texas ahead to stay. He hit .333 without a homer in 11 games before getting hurt.

Cruz hit a two-run shot to left in the sixth, his eighth, to make it 3-0.

“I made a lousy pitch to a pretty darn good hitter in the first, and I made a good pitch to Cruz that he hit out of the ballpark,” Danks said. “It changes their lineup, no disrespect to their other hitters.”

Ogando (5-0), who was added to the rotation at the end of spring training after Tommy Hunter’s injury, struck out six and walked three while throwing 72 of his 105 pitches for strikes.

It was only the fourth time ever at Rangers Ballpark, which opened in 1994, that both starting pitchers threw complete games. The game was played in 2 hours, 5 minutes, the shortest there since a 2-hour game five years ago.

Chicago was held without a run for the sixth time after being scoreless only five times last season.

It was the second time the White Sox were shut out when Danks started.

“I just have to keep plugging along. I feel like it’s a broken record. It’s tough, don’t get me wrong. I just have to get ready for my next start in Toronto,” he said. “It’s getting harder and harder (to stay positive). That’s the blunt truth. But it doesn’t do me any good to dwell on it and feel sorry for myself.”

Notes: When Pierzynski reached into the stands to try to catch a foul ball by Beltre in the sixth inning, he found himself face-to-face with former President George W. Bush. The ball didn’t hit anyone when it fell into the owner’s box where Bush and his wife, Laura, sat with Rangers president Nolan Ryan and his wife, Ruth. … The White Sox are 7-4 after 11 of 20 games in 20 days. … PGA Tour player Vijay Singh attended the game. He missed the cut at the Colonial in Fort Worth last week and is a former champion in this week’s Byron Nelson Championship in Irving.

Ogando (5-0) struck out six and walked three while throwing 72 of his 105 pitches for strikes.

It was the fifth shutout for the Rangers this season, and the sixth time Chicago was held without a run.

Danks, who was drafted ninth overall by Texas in 2003 and traded to Chicago three years later, had his third career complete game, first this season. The left-hander again got no run support, with the White Sox scoring only four runs for him in his five road starts this season.

Danks struck out three and walked two.

The game was played in 2 hours, 5 minutes — the shortest game at Rangers Ballpark since a 2-hour game on May 29, 2006.

Hamilton and Cruz wrapped up rehab assignments Sunday at Triple-A Round Rock, and were activated before Monday’s game.

The return for Hamilton came one day short of six weeks since he broke a bone in his upper right arm trying to score with a headfirst slide April 12 at Detroit. Cruz had been out since leaving a game early May 3 at Seattle because of a strained left quadriceps.

Ogando was a setup reliever for the Rangers last season, and though he was stretched in spring training, it had been anticipated that he would pitch out of the bullpen. The Rangers had already named their rotation without Ogando the final week of spring training before Tommy Hunter got hurt.

Now Ogando has pitched at least six innings in nine consecutive starts to open the season, matching Kevin Millwood (2009) as the only Rangers pitchers in opening-day rotations to accomplish that over the past 10 seasons.

Hamilton, who was the designated hitter batting third, got a standing ovation when he was introduced in the first. He responded with his first homer of the season.

Cruz got a similar response when he led off in the second, when he grounded out.

After Adrian Beltre drew a two-out walk in the sixth, Cruz homered to left. Beltre added a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Notes: When White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski reached into the stands to try to catch a foul ball by Beltre in the sixth inning, he found himself face-to-face with former President George W. Bush. The ball didn’t hit anyone when it fell into the owner’s box where Bush and his wife, Laura, sat with Rangers president Nolan Ryan and his wife, Ruth. … PGA Tour player Vijay Singh attended the game. He missed the cut at the Colonial in Fort Worth last week and is a former champion in this week’s Byron Nelson Championship in Irving.

PHOENIX (Reuters) – Texas Rangers starting pitcher Tommy Hunter faces at least six weeks out and will miss the start of the season after straining his right groin muscle.

The news of Hunter’s injury came just hours after the Rangers had announced he would be in its starting rotation and comes just days before Texas opened its season against the Boston Red Sox on April 1.

Hunter, 25, will return to Arlington for an injection of his own blood platelets as part of the recovery process.

“That’s a fair range,” assistant general manager Thad Levine said of the anticipated recovery period. “We’ll have to update that as he responds to treatment and the injection.”

Hunter, who was out for 10 weeks in 2009 with a groin injury, said he was optimistic the healing time would not be so long.

“I don’t think it’s as bad (as 2009). You don’t know how bad it is until you’re able to start doing things.”

Hunter was 13-4 in 22 starts with the Rangers last season.

(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP)—Neftali Feliz(notes) will keep closing games instead of starting them for the AL champion Texas Rangers.

As for the Texas rotation, what seemed set Thursday morning was in flux within hours.

Feliz, who set a major league rookie record with 40 saves last season, had been stretched out this spring in case the Rangers decided to use the hard-throwing righty as a starter. Instead, he will remain in his familiar role.

Feliz pitched a scoreless eighth inning Thursday as a split squad of Rangers lost to San Diego 7-4.

“Right now, for our organization, he’s better in the bullpen,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “We haven’t closed the door on him being a starter. It’s just not now. We wanted to make sure that we continue to be strong in every area. With Feliz being at the closing end, we’re certainly strong.”

Feliz took over the closer’s role during last year and went 40 for 43 on save tries, going 4-3 with a 2.73 ERA.

Texas opened spring training knowing left-hander C.J. Wilson(notes) and Colby Lewis(notes) would be its top two starters after Cliff Lee’s(notes) departure. The rest of the rotation announced Thursday included Tommy Hunter(notes) and left-handers Matt Harrison(notes) and Derek Holland(notes).

At least that was the plan until Hunter strained his right groin in the Rangers’ 15-13 victory over Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon.

It marked the third straight year Hunter has been hurt at the end of camp. In 2009 he sustained a groin injury and didn’t arrive in the majors until May. Last year, an oblique strain put him on the disabled list.

“I think I’ll be all right,” said Hunter, who has a 10.97 ERA in his three spring starts. “Three days … I had three days to go. It’s all right. We’ll get back together and go throw.”

Michael Kirkman(notes), who was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day, could replace Hunter if the right-hander isn’t ready for his first start.

Wilson will start the season opener April 1 at home against Boston.

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Neftali Feliz will keep closing games instead of starting them for the AL champion Texas Rangers.

The Rangers have settled on their starting rotation and Feliz, who set a major league rookie record with 40 saves last season, will remain the closer. Feliz had been stretched out this spring in case they decided to use the hard-throwing right-hander as a starter.

Texas opened spring training knowing left-hander C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis would be their top two starters after Cliff Lee’s departure.

The rest of the rotation announced Thursday includes Tommy Hunter, and left-handers Matt Harrison and Derek Holland.

Wilson will start the season opener April 1 at home against Boston.

By JP Starkey – Associate Editor

Read More: Neftali Feliz (P – TEX), Texas Rangers

Follow , and Like SB Nation Dallas on Facebook.

Mar 24, 2011 - It’s official: Neftali Feliz will remain in the bullpen for the Texas Rangers in 2011. Per Anthony Andro, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year award winner will not be in the starting rotation for the Rangers this year, something that Texas manager Ron Washington confirmed on Thursday.

Feliz was scheduled to start tonight for the Rangers, but with Washington’s recent decision, Feliz will not start. Tonight’s starter for Texas is TBD.

With Feliz headed to the bullpen, Tommy Hunter, Derek Holland and Matt Harrison will round out Texas’ rotation to open the 2011 season. Brandon Webb, who was signed over the winter, is still recovering from his shoulder injuries.

Feliz’ role as closer also defines roles for other members of the Rangers’ pitching staff. Alexi Ogando, who was a candidate both for Texas’ rotation and closer should Feliz have earned a starting spot, will remain a setup man for the Rangers.