MINNEAPOLIS – After a 14-2 pasting by Minnesota on Saturday that left them a season-worst 9 ½ games behind Los Angeles in the AL West, the Rangers' early second-half tote board was ugly.

Two runs scored. Twenty runs allowed.

What's uglier: The first number is an aberration of a season-long trend; the second is not. The Rangers continue to demonstrate that as good as their lineup may be, it can't be counted on to slug its way to the AL West title. After the loss, the Rangers still have a pretty significant edge on the rest of the AL in runs scored, but they trail the rest of the league in ERA by an even wider margin.

"We've just lost two in a row," manager Ron Washington said. "The two games we've played are all about one thing – pitching."

Rookie starter Matt Harrison, who couldn't extricate himself from a fifth-inning jam, and relievers Dustin Nippert and Josh Rupe each allowed multiple-run innings, and each allowed a homer. And when the night was finished, the Rangers' ERA stood at 5.21, nearly three-quarters of a run higher than No. 13 Baltimore (4.55).

Sure, it's a little awkward that the Rangers' quartet of All-Stars – Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley – have started the second half a combined 4-for-30. Sure, it's a little bit disconcerting that the Rangers couldn't get to Livan Hernandez, who entered the game on pace to allow the highest opponents' batting average by a starter since the stat was first kept.

Hernandez allowed the Rangers 13 runs in eight innings in two earlier starts, but he threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the first 18 batters and got the Rangers to act a bit overaggressive.

"We may lead the league in walks [actually, they fell behind Boston on Saturday], but we're never going to go up there looking to take walks," said shortstop Michael Young. "We're disciplined in the strike zone. We were that way tonight. He threw pitches in the strike zone and really spotted his fastball well."

But as disconcerting as the two-game offensive lull may be, the season-long pitching trend is what may ultimately doom the Rangers to a ninth consecutive year without a playoff appearance.

On Friday, Kevin Millwood couldn't get out of a seventh-inning jam. On Saturday, Harrison ran into his big problem in the fifth.

AP

Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock can't reach a bunt single by the Twins' Alexi Casilla, one of 16 hits by Minnesota.

Harrison went into the inning trailing 3-2. He allowed back-to-back doubles with one out that somehow didn't score a run before getting Alexi Casilla to pop out.

He fell behind Joe Mauer, then acquiesced and walked him to take his chances against the Home Run Derby champ. He got ahead of Justin Morneau 1-and-2 but left a curveball just above the dirt on the outside corner. Morneau doubled to left to score three runs.

"I didn't make the big pitch when I had to," Harrison said. "I needed to get that curveball in the dirt, and I didn't. That's the lesson I learned tonight."

The question the Rangers still must answer: Can the rest of the staff learn their lessons well enough to keep the team's playoff chances afloat?