ARLINGTON, Texas -- Of the two walks that C.J. Wilson issued before Josh Willingham’s home run, manager Ron Washington considered the free pass to Daric Barton as the bigger mistake.
“With Barton, it is lefty to lefty,’’ Washington said. “With [Conor] Jackson, he is capable of pumping the ball out of the park. He’s a free swinger.’’
Willingham’s 3-run homer put Oakland on a path to a 7-2 victory Monday at Rangers Ballpark.
“It’s like obviously no one sets out there to go walk guys, and I haven’t been doing that lately,’’ Wilson said. “It’s just only against their team that I do that. They take everything close. If it’s not called a strike, then they walk. It’s lawyer ball. That’s how they roll.
“That’s how they’re going to beat me. That’s how they have to beat me. I have to make a bunch of mistakes and walk a bunch of guys because they’re not that good of a hitting team. The whole game was frustrating.’’
Wilson allowed three fewer hits than mound opponent Trevor Cahill but was charged with four more runs.
“Cahill changes speeds and moves the ball around both sides of the plate,’’ Washington said. “And he can sink it.’’