Texas Rangers: Fourteenth Blown Save Results In Loss

The Texas Rangers suffer a heart-breaking loss. This results in Texas becoming an under .500 team again, as well falling to fourth place in the A.L. West standings. Texas is 13.5 games behind the first-place Houston Astros. The Rangers are 4-4 in their last eight games.

There was a game about a two-hour game delay due to rainy weather in New York City. This was a game that truly kept fans in it. It was a duel between Yu Darvish and the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka. A game featuring two Japanese Ace pitchers can certainly be hard-fought game for one who out-duels the other. First eight innings were scoreless. The Texas Rangers drew first blood in the top of the ninth with Elvis Andrus scoring on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, the Yanks tied it in the bottom of the ninth, and went to in the game in the tenth inning.

Darvish pitched 7.0 innings, allowing two hits, no runs, and striking out ten batters, earning a no decision. Despite not getting the win, Darvish pitched a hard-fought game. His second shut-out this season. We can’t say he out-dueled Tanaka since Darvish pitched one inning less than Tanaka. Regardless, Darvish’s performance is worthy of a standing ovation. In any case, Darvish must keep it up if he’s hoping to stay in Arlington.

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Tanner Schepper relieved Darvish, pitching 1.0 inning, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out two batters. Matt Bush attempted close out the game, however, he suffered his fourth blown save, falling to 2-3. He has the same amount of blown saves as Tony Barnette and Sam Dyson.

Texas’ bullpen now has 14 blown saves this season, which is a league-high. They’re tied for 23rd in the league in holds with only 29. Bush’s hot streak seems to have gone cold. In any case, he must pick himself up off the ground or else he may lose his closing duty.

Offense finished 4-for-12, striking out 12 times. Elvis Andrus and Jonathan Lucroy are the only batters with hits, each having two. Andrus is now on a five-game hitting streak. Carlos Gomez and Joey Gallo both struck out three times. This is Gomez’s first hit-less game since his return from injury. Shin-Soo Choo and Nomar Mazara are both on a two-game hit-less streak. Mike Napoli’s three-game hitting streak is over, as well. The Rangers had several golden opportunities to score several runs, but they couldn’t get it done. In the tenth, Texas had two on base with one out, but failed to take advantage. Texas left seven batters on base.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx takes the mound for game two. Texas must win to keep their series-winning streak alive.