Baseball

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Hamilton gets 'oil change,' back in lineup

Home run leader gets lubrication for knee

By: Stephen Hawkins

Posted: 09/15/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

When not breaking bats, Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton drives in runs. (JOHN SLEEZER / KANSAS CITY STAR / MCT ARCHIVES)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Slugger Josh Hamilton was back in the Texas Rangers' lineup Friday night after getting an injection to lubricate his sore left knee.

Hamilton, who leads the majors with 41 home runs and 121 RBI, was batting third and in centre field against Seattle. He didn't play Thursday night in the series finale against Cleveland after coming out the previous night and then getting the shot.

"I had those in spring training, just a little lubrication," Hamilton said, jokingly referring to latest injection as a tuneup. "Get your oil changed... It feels 90 per cent better than it did before."

While Hamilton was back in the field, third baseman Adrian Beltre was the designated hitter for the second game in a row when the AL West-leading Texas Rangers began a regular season-ending stretch of 19 consecutive games against division foes.

Beltre, like Hamilton, came out of Wednesday night's game early after hitting a homer. Beltre had soreness in his left shoulder after diving for a ball, though he convinced his manager to let him in the lineup Thursday as the DH. Washington said Beltre likely would be back at third base Saturday.

"This is my wanting to give him two days in the DH spot, so I figure he'd be ready to go back out there tomorrow," Washington said.

Right-hander Roy Oswalt likely won't throw another bullpen session until next week after experiencing discomfort while throwing Thursday.

Oswalt, who has been a starter and reliever since getting to Texas in late June, left Sunday's start at Tampa Bay after two innings because of a right forearm strain. The two-time all-star took a couple of days off throwing before his shortened bullpen session.

"You're always concerned when something is nagging. We hoped by now that maybe it would have gone away. But it hasn't, so we've just got to keep in the process and see what happens," Washington said. "It is unfamiliar territory for him. He's never had an arm injury. It could be a little of him being tentative too."

Oswalt said he's likely throw in the bullpen again Tuesday.

There are no such limitations for Hamilton, who homered in five of his previous 10 games going into Friday night.

"He stuck his head in here, he's in a good mood, he's ready to go," Washington said.

Hamilton has had similar injections before, sometimes in both knees at the same time.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 15, 2012 C8

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