Three games at the dingiest ballpark in the major leagues are next for the Texas Rangers, who came to Angel Stadium for their biggest series of the season and came out of it in better shape than they were before it started.
They took 3 of 4 games from the Los Angeles Angels, who were tied for the lead for the second wild-card spot Monday but are now in a group of three teams a half-game behind the Minnesota Twins.
The Rangers are another half-game back. Do the math. The Rangers are one game out of a playoff spot with 35 games to go and with three games at last-place Oakland this weekend.