Texas Rangers: Team Comes Up Short In Ninth Against Toronto

The Texas Rangers fall short in game one of their four-game series at home against Toronto. This results in their second straight loss, meaning they’re on a two-game losing streak for the first time in over two weeks. Once again, they’re under .500. No time to worry about this loss as worrying about the pasts doesn’t solve anything. It’s time to focus on game two of the series.

A sad night for the Texas Rangers. They jumped to early 1-0 lead in the first inning only for Toronto to tie in the second inning. In the fourth, Toronto took a commanding 5-1 lead, and it looked as though Toronto would run away with the win. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Texas scored five runs, taking a 6-5 lead. They held on to it until the ninth when they gave up two runs, and failed to respond.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx stepped on the mound, looking to go 3-0. He pitched 5.0, allowing five hits, a season-high five runs, and striking out five batters, earning a no-decision.

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Tanner Scheppers took over. He pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, no runs, and striking out two batters. At one point, he was in a predicament when Toronto had the bases loaded with one out, but he fought out of it, earning his first hold this season.

Dario Alvarez then came in. He pitched 0.1 innings, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out batter, earning his third hold. Jose Leclerc then entered. He pitched 1.0 inning, no hits, no runs, and striking out two batters, earning his fifth hold.

Matt Bush attempted to close the game. By allowing, three hits, two runs, and striking out one batter, he suffered his third blown save this season, resulting in him falling to 2-2 this season.

Valiant effort by the pitching. They forced Toronto to leave nine players on base. Their ERA of 4.30 places them 16th in the league.

Offense finished 7-for-34, striking out ten times. So their three-game streak less-than-eight strikeouts is over. Shin-Soo Choo and Elvis Andrus both had two hits. Rougned Odor, Mike Napoli, Jonathan Lucroy, and Joey Gallo all went hit-less. Gallo is on a three-game hit-less streak. Lucroy is on a two-game hit-less streak and so is Napoli. Odor’s steak of three games with a hit comes to an end. Choo has a hit in his last five games, with multiple hits in three of those five. Andrus breaks a two-game hit-less streak. Gomez has yet to have a hit-less game since returning from injury. Adrian Beltre has a hit in four straight now. Mazara only has three hits in his last five games. Offense left eight batters on base.

Offense is tied for 26th in the league in hits with 560. Their batting average of .242 places them 24th. They’re also eleventh in runs scored with 337.

Nick Martinez takes the mound for game two. Texas needs to win. They’re 12 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.