Big win last night. Either the Angels even up the series tonight or the Rangers guarantee a series split. Mid-August meaningful baseball is fun.

T.R. Sullivan writes his game story about the Rangers using fundamentals with a splash of power to win last night's series opener.

ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett writes about the Rangers using small ball to start their big six-run 5th-inning that broke open the game. Bunts and Dongs!

Durrett has some post game notes here. In one he writes:

Apparently, there was some entertaining and colorful language coming from the Rangers dugout on the broadcast. We couldn't hear that live here in Anaheim, but many of you in the chat room said you could hear it and that Beltre was doing his fair share of yelling. The mic was placed there by the Angels TV crew. It was turned down or taken away midway through the game. Did you enjoy Beltre's commentary?

Trust us, Richard; it happened. And it was amazing.

Evan Grant has some thoughts on the game. Grant writes about the offense coming through in multiple ways last night, Ogando showing the Angels a different look, and how the bullpen shapes up for tonight's game.

Jeff Wilson has a piece on Ian Kinsler's exceptional defense at second base this season. In it, Ron Washington offers plenty of praise for Kinsler's glove and even concludes that Kinsler is perhaps the best second baseman in baseball at turning a double play. After last night's game, and a season's worth of highlight-reel turns, I will not be one to argue with that declaration.

Sullivan has a bunch of notes for us in his Rangers' Notebook this morning. He writes about Beltre possibly being out until September as the Rangers want to make certain that he is 100% before he returns because another setback could end his season.

Also noted, Ron Washington is playing it by ear with Neftali Feliz in regards to usage, Mike Olt is back and on a rehab assignment, Barret Loux has been placed on the D.L. with arm fatigue, and the MLB Draft Signing Deadline passed without the Rangers signing any of their remaining draft picks. No, not even Max Pentecost.

In better injury related news, as Sullivan reports, it seems Nelson Cruz won't miss much playing time, if any, for the tightness he felt in his leg last night.

Behind the DMN paywall, Grant writes about the maturation of tonight's starting pitcher, Derek Holland.

However, the DMN also has a transcript from a recent radio appearance by Holland where he talks about his trash 'tache. The sentence "Right now I have the reverse-Hitler." might have been used.

Finally, Anthony Andro covers the Rangers' decision to honor the late Shannon Stone with a bronze statue depicting Stone and his son Cooper.