The bottom of the first inning was sloppy, but sloppy on both sides and the result was yet another scoreless frame for Justin Verlander.

Ian Kinsler led off and walked. Though he stole 30 bases during the regular season, Ron Washington didn't quite trust Kinsler to reach second base on his own, and called for the hit-and-run, which might have worked out nicely except Elvis Andrus failed to connect with an inside fastball and Kinsler was out from here to Laredo.

Andrus didn't exactly redeem himself when he lifted a routine fly to center field ... but at least he hustled enough to reach second base when the ball clanked off Austin Jackson's glove for a two-base error.

Verlander struck out Josh Hamilton, but walked Michael Young. Which brought up Adrian Beltré, who's hit 15 home runs since August turned into September.

Verlander didn't care. Verlander struck out Beltre on a curveball that bounced off the ground -- the ground -- and the Rangers have blown one of the few good opportunities they're likely to get tonight.

After one inning it's still scoreless.