Disputed Teixeira homer called foul ball; Rangers lose to Padres

ARLINGTON (AP) - Mark Teixeira thought he had hit a game-winning homer for the Texas Rangers.

Unfortunately, the umpires didn't agree and the San Diego Padres held on for a 6-5 victory on Tuesday night.

The Texas first baseman believed he had capped a big night with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, but as the ball passed over or near the right field foul pole, first base umpire Bill Welke ruled it foul.

"I've got no doubt that ball's fair," Teixeira said. "I was about to run around the bases when I looked up and the first base ump said it was foul. I can't hit a ball any further than that. If it goes 100 feet past the foul pole but it's only 20 feet foul when it landed, there's no way it can be foul."

Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said, "I got a good view. It's so high

you don't know when it's crossing the foul pole. I think the only way is to get a laser or something because I don't think there's any way to get a good judgment on it. I think the play could go either way. Either way you're going to get an argument."

One television replay appeared to show the ball sailing over the foul pole, but Padres manager Bruce Bochy disagreed. "I had a good angle, and there was no doubt in my mind it was foul. A few more feet and we were walking off the field."

From the first base dugout, Rangers manager Buck Showalter asked Welke to confer with the other umpires. After discussing the play for about two minutes, they agreed it was a foul ball.

"He was pretty adamant that it was foul," Showalter said. "There's nothing we can do about it."

Teixeira then popped out to third base. Hank Blalock flied out to center field to end the game as Trevor Hoffman got his 17th save of the season.

Mark Thompson (3-2) gave up four runs and nine hits in five innings for the victory.

The Rangers (38-33), still tied with Oakland atop the AL West host San Diego again tonight at 7 p.m.