Texas Rangers: Team Wins To Split Series Against Toronto

The Texas Rangers take the victory in the final game of the Toronto series at home. As a result, Texas splits the series. However, their series-winning streak is not snapped, due to the fact that they didn’t lose the series. Once again, Texas is a .500 team with a record of 36-36, and they’re back to third in A.L. West standings. If Seattle loses, they jump to second, but due to Houston winning, they’re 13 games behind the first-place Astros. Texas is 9-4 in their last 13 games.

A great afternoon for the Texas Rangers. Many thought it was going to a long afternoon for Jeff Banister & company due to Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto. Prior to today, last time Stroman pitched against Texas was in the first game of the ALDS last fall where Texas suffered a humiliating 10-1 loss and ended up being swept. This time it was Stroman was in for a rough day.

Martin Perez took the mound, looking to two straight games for the first time this season. He pitched 6.0 innings, allowing nine hits, four runs, and striking out three batters, winning his second straight, improving to 4-6. He did fall into a bit of a predicament when Texas had a 7-0 lead, and all of a sudden Toronto made it 7-4. In the next inning, Toronto had a man on third with one out, but Perez prevented Toronto from scoring. His last three starts, Perez has been pitching well. In any case, he must keep it up.

More from Nolan Writin'

• 3 Texas Rangers outfield trade targets not named Bryan Reynolds
• Did Jacob deGrom really mean what he said at his Texas Rangers press conference?
• Where do Texas Rangers prospects Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker stand after the DeGrom signing?
• Martin Perez accepting the qualifying offer looking like solid deal for the Rangers
• 4 outfielders the Texas Rangers can still pursue this winter

Jose Leclerc relieved Perez, pitching 1.0 inning, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out no batters, earning his sixth hold this season. Alex Claudio pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits, no runs, and striking out two batters.

Excellent pitching today. Right now, Texas’ pitching ERA of 4.34 places them 16th in the league. They’re also tenth in the league in hits allowed 639, as well as 16th in runs allowed with 333 and 28th in strikeouts with 499. Furthermore, they’re third in double plays with 80. Rougned Odor is eighth in double plays.

Offense finished 11-for-34, striking out eight times. Shin-Soo Choo, Nomar Mazara, and Joey Gallo all went hit-less. Gallo has been really struggling as of late, as he only has six hits in his last ten games, as well striking out 14 times. Shoo’s six-game hitting streak is over and Mazara’s three-game hitting streak is done, as well. Elvis Andrus is now on a four-game hitting streak. Adrian Beltre went 2-for-4 and he’s 38 hits away from reaching 3,000. Going 1-for-5, Rougned Odor has eleven hits in his last ten games with eight strikeouts in 40 at-bats. Mike Napoli’s hitting streak is now at three games. Robinson Chirinos went 3-for-4, having his first three-hit game this season. Carlos Gomez went 3-for-4, blasting a two-run and three-run home run and he’s yet to go hit-less since his return from injury. Aside from Gomez, Chirinos and Napoli both had home runs.

Offense’s batting average of .243 places them 25th in the league. They’re also 26th in hits with 587, in a tie for eighth in scoring runs with 359 and in a tie for seventh in homers with 102. Furthermore, they’re third in stolen bases with 63 and fifth in strikeouts with 650.

Texas is now heading to the Bronx borough of New York City for a three-game. Yesterday, New York snapped their seven-game losing streak, which is their longest since 2007.

Yu Darvish steps on the mound for game one. It’s time for Texas to start a new winning streak. They need as many wins as possible entering the All-Star break.