Texas Rangers: 16th Blown Save Results In Loss To Chicago

The Texas Rangers lose their third straight game after blowing a four-run lead. This results in Texas falling to 39-41 and dropping to fourth place in the American League West standings. They’re 14.5 games behind the first-place Astros. The fact that Texas now has 16 blown saves just adds insult to injury.

Another bad night for the Texas Rangers. Chicago quickly took a 2-0. In the third, Texas made 2-1, making it 5-2 in the top of the fourth. Chicago managed to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth. In the sixth, Texas made it 7-3 and that was it. They failed to score again and Chicago came back, scoring three times in the ninth, thus sealing their win. Texas’ 16th blown save is at the moment the most in the league, which just rubs salt in Texas’ wound.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx took the mound, hoping to improve to 3-0. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowing a season and career-high eight hits, four runs, and striking out two batters. He earned another no-decision, but had a solid performance.

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Jose Leclerc relieved Bibens Dirkx. He pitched 1.1 innings, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out one batter, earning his eighth hold this season. In his last ten games, Leclerc has struck out 16 batters, allowing five hits and four runs.

Alex Claudio then entered. He pitched 1.0 inning, allowing two hits, one run and striking out two batters, earning his seventh hold. Claudio has only allowed three runs in his last ten games, as well as 13 hits and seven strikeouts.

Matt Bush came in the ninth, hoping to earn his eleventh save. Instead, he suffered his fifth blown save after allowing three runs on four hits, falling to 2-4 this season. When he suffered his fourth blown save, he went to earn two straight saves. So just like he did before, he needs to pick himself off the ground and stand strong again.

Texas’ fielding is tied for second in the league in double plays with 87. Pitching is ninth in the league in hits, as well as 12th in runs allowed and 28th in strikeouts.

Offense finished 11-for-35, striking out seven times. So the streak of eight more strikeouts finally ends, which helps a little. In any case, they need to continue this sort of streak. Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Gomez, and Elvis Andrus went a combined 7-for-15, striking out only three times. Choo has his fourth three-hit game of the season, his first in over a month. Andrus has a hit in three straight games now, having five multi-hit games in his last ten games. Gomez snaps a four-game hit-less streak and his second multi-hit game of his last ten games.

Nomar Mazara and Adrian Beltre both went hit-less in this one. Rougned Odor now has a hit in three straight games, and he homered for the first time since June 17th. Jonathan Lucroy is now on a two-game hitting streak and has eight hits in his last ten. Joey Gallo snapped a three-game hit-less streak by blasting his 21st home run of the year. Gallo is in a tie for seventh in the league in homers. But he’s still trapped in his slump and he’s looking for a way out. Hopefully, he’ll find his way out of it soon.

Cole Hamels takes the mound for game two later today. He’s squares off against former Ranger Derek Holland. Holland is 5-7 with a 4.26 ERA. Hamels needs to bounce back and come out victorious. Texas can’t afford to lose four straight and two straight with Hamels on the mound.