ALDS GameThread: Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays Game 2

The Texas Rangers beat David Price and the Blue Jays yesterday in Toronto and now they try to take a 2-0 lead in the ALDS series in the second game in the Rogers Centre.

Cole Hamels takes the mound for the visitors against Jays' righty Marcus Stroman in the second game of the best-of-five series.

Hamels, who held right-handed hitters to a .238/.295/.380 line and left-handed hitters to a .237/.316/.329 line on the year, talked to reporters yesterday about preparing for what will almost surely be a right-hand heavy Blue Jays' lineup in the second game of the series this afternoon.

"I don't think it really matters lefty, righty," Hamels said. "You have to be able to throw pitches and execute pitches no matter where they're standing, on which side of the box. So that's what their strength's been and it seems that they've done very well.

"They faced some tough pitchers in the American League and they've had success, so I don't think they've had to look at it as though they need to mix and match and create some kind of chaotic approach for a starter.

"They're going with what they're good at and they're sticking to that plan. So basically... what I have to do is to go out and execute pitches against hitters. It doesn't really matter if they're lefty or right-handed."

Blue Jays' skipper John Gibbons talked after last night's loss about sending a second-year starter like Stroman, 24, out in a sort-of-must-win game in which he'll be making his first postseason start.

"Yeah, you know what, you always look forward to the days that Stro's pitching," Gibbons said.

"There's something about him, he always rises to the occasion so we feel really good. We've got to work it out for us with Hamels, no doubt. [We] dropped the first one at home, it's important we win at home. We did very good here all year. So yeah, tomorrow's a big game for us, but really the perfect guy going."

Hamels vs the Blue Jays:

Stroman vs the Rangers: