swing shift

Texas, looking to recapture the momentum in the American League Championship Series, sends former Mississippi Braves left-hander Matt Harrison to the bump today in Game 4 at Comerica Park. Detroit cut the Rangers’ series lead to 2-1 with a 5-2 win on Tuesday night. Harrison won 14 games for the Rangers this season, working primarily as their No. 4 starter. He’s been in some big games before, and this qualifies as one. Harrison helped the M-Braves win a first-half title in the Southern League South Division back in 2007, before he was traded to the Rangers in the blockbuster Mark Teixeira deal. Harrison was just 8-11 in his two-season stint in Pearl, but he was much better than his record. In fact, he was dominant at times. A hard thrower with good command, he posted an ERA of 3.61 in 2006 as a midseason promotion and put up a 3.39 in ’07. In 194 innings with the M-Braves, he had 132 strikeouts and 51 walks.
P.S. A week into the Arizona Fall League season, ex-Southern Miss star Brian Dozier, a Minnesota prospect, is batting .368 for the Mesa Solar Sox. Atlanta prospects — and possible 2012 M-Braves — Christian Bethancourt (.500) and Todd Cunningham (.417) are off to good starts for Surprise.