Texas Rangers: Team Fails To Win In Cole Hamels’ Return

The Texas Rangers suffer a humiliating 15-9 defeat. As a result, Texas drops to third place in the American League West standings and 13.5 games behind Houston. Once again, Texas is an average .500 team with a 38-38 record. Texas entered this game on a two-game winning streak, but this loss certainly is a momentum killer.

What started out as dream performance for the Texas Rangers ended up a complete nightmare. Texas jumped a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, only for Cleveland to make it 4-1 in the bottom. In the second, Texas made 7-1 and Cleveland making it 7-2 in the third. In the fourth, Texas took a commanding 9-2 lead, and perhaps it was another good night for Texas. However, Cleveland had not quit just yet. In the fifth, Cleveland cut the lead to 9-7, making 12-9 in the sixth, and finally making it 15-9 in the seventh. Texas could not battle back.

Cole Hamels made his first start since late-April. He pitched 4.1 innings, allowing a season-high eight hits, season-high seven runs, and striking out on batter, earning a no-decision. What was supposed to be a special night for him turned out to be disastrous.

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Dario Alvarez relieved Hamels, pitching 0.2 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, and striking out no batters. Those Cleveland scored on some pitches he threw, he was not charged with those runs allowed.

Tanner Scheppers then entered, allowing two hits, three runs, and striking out no batters, thus suffering the loss for this game, being his first loss this season. Alex Claudio then came in, pitching 1.0 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and striking out no batters, earning his second blown save this season. Preston Claiborne pitched the last two innings, allowing five hits, three runs, and striking out two batters.

Bullpen now has 15 blown saves. Pitching’s ERA of .262 places them 22nd in the league. Their allowing of 361 runs puts them 13th and they’re 28th in strikeouts with 535.

Offense finished 9-for-35, striking out 17 times. Seventh straight game with eight or more strikeouts. Rougned Odor, Carlos Gomez, and Jonathan Lucroy all went hit-less. Gomez is now on a two-game hit-less streak while Lucroy’s two-game hitting streak is done. Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus both had multiple hits. Beltre is 33 hits away from the 3,000 milestone, as well as ten doubles away from tying with Albert Pujols for 12th overall. Andrus’ hitting streak is at eight games. Today he homered twice. Nomar Mazara snapped a two-game hit-less streak. Joey Gallo returned, and blasted a homer, being his 20th this season. Shin-Soo Choo is on a three-game hitting streak.

Offense is sixth in the league in homers with 112, as well as fifth in strikeouts with 702. Their on-base percentage of .315 places them 24th in the league. And their batting average of .242 places them 27th.

Tyson Ross steps on the mound for this series’ second game. In any case, he needs to be ready to pitch and to find a way to help lead Texas to victory. Bats needs to stay awake.