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GAME LOG
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Cal Ripken took another step toward
playing a 21st season with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday
night, getting four hits in a 9-4 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Ripken made his second start at third base in as many days as he
tries to gauge whether his aching back will be able to stand up to
the rigors of another year.
|  | | Cal Ripken doubles to center, one of four hits he had in the Orioles' 9-4 win in Texas. |
"I played two games in the field here in Texas and I came
through very well," said Rikpen, activated from the disabled list Sept. 1. "It's just been nice to be on the field again. I'm
very encouraged. Physically, I feel a lot better."
Ripken missed 59 games after going on the disabled list June
28 with inflammation in his lower back.
"There are two weeks left," said Ripken. "If I had to make a
decision right now, I'd say it's a go. I have something to build
on. I'd like to continue to play and by the end of the season I'll
have a better idea where I am physically."
Ripken was especially encouraged by the fact that he was able to
score from first on a first-inning double and from second on a
third-inning single.
"I felt good running the bases and good in the field," Ripken
said.
Ripken's first-inning single gave him 3,054 hits, moving him
past Rod Carew into 18th place on the career list. Ripken later
moved past Robin Yount for 12th place in all-time doubles with 584.
Ripken received a standing ovation in the eighth when he was
removed from the game for a pinch-runner after hitting a single.
Fans realized there's a chance Ripken may have been playing his
final game in Texas.
"There's been a certain desperation from the fans that maybe I
won't be back," Ripken said. "People want to see you play one
more time and you appreciate that."
Rookie Chris Richard drove in five runs for the Orioles.
Richard has nine homers and 26 RBI in 42 games since he was
acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals on July 29.
"I don't want to go overboard, but if you project his numbers
out over 450 at bats, he'd have 27-30 homers and about 85 RBI,"
said Orioles manager Mike Hargrove. "He's a better player now than
when we got him. He's getting better, hitting the pitches that he
should hit."
Richard hit a two-run double in the first, a two-run single in
the third and added a sacrifice fly in the fourth. He also was hit
by a pitch in the sixth.
The Orioles won for the first time in six games at Texas this
season.
Pat Rapp (8-11) allowed four runs and five hits over 5 2-3
innings. He had lost five of his previous six decisions.
Baltimore scored three times in the first off rookie Ryan Glynn
(5-4) on Richard's two-run double and Brook Fordyce's RBI single.
After Texas got a run in the second on Bill Haselman's RBI
double, Richard's two-run single in the third made it 5-1. Rusty
Greer hit a two-run double in the Rangers third.
The Orioles chased Glynn in the fourth on Ripken's RBI single.
Richard's sacrifice fly off reliever Jonathan Johnson made it 7-3.
"He just couldn't get the ball down tonight," said Rangers
manager Johnny Oates of Glynn's start. "Unfortunately, he walked
the first batter of the game. It was an outing we're not accustomed
to losing with Ryan pitching lately. It's a learning curve.
Sometimes you learn from these kinds of outings."
Texas cut the deficit to 7-4 in the sixth on Ricky Ledee's
run-scoring triple.
Game notes
Ripken had his 27th career four-hit game. His last came on
Sept. 10, 1999. ... Ripken has 241 career hits against Texas,
putting him third among Rangers opponents behind George Brett (291)
and Paul Molitor (254). ... Richard fell one short of his career
high for RBI set Sept. 3. ... Texas' Rafael Palmeiro hit his
450th career double.
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