Rangers leaning on Hamels again in Game 5 at Toronto

The Texas Rangers have won their last 11 games started by Cole Hamels.

They needed each of those victories to get this far, and their season will be over without another one Wednesday against Toronto in the decisive Game 5 of the AL Division Series.

''It's why you go out and get top performers, elite competitors ... situations exactly like this,'' manager Jeff Banister said Tuesday. ''That's a comforting feeling that we've got a guy on the mound that's going to go for us that has been here, has done it, and is quite capable of continuing to do it.''

Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, will be pitching in a winner-take-all game for the first time when he goes against Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman in a rematch of Game 2 of the ALDS. The Rangers won 6-4 in 14 innings Friday when both starters pitched seven innings and departed with the score 4-4.

''Who else would you rather have on the mound when you have to win a game than your ace,'' catcher Chris Gimenez said. ''The fact that he has been there before is really, I think, the biggest confidence boost.''

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Hamels, who is 7-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 14 postseason starts, threw a three-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels in the regular season finale to clinch the AL West title. That was his only complete game since he was acquired from Philadelphia on July 31, when he was coming off a no-hitter for the Phillies.

The Rangers were eight games out of first place after Hamels made his Texas debut Aug. 1, an extra-inning loss. They also lost his second start, but have won his last 11 turns in the rotation - Hamels is 7-0 with a 3.16 ERA in that span.

- With files from theScore