Texas Rangers: Team Loses Second Straight Series

The Texas Rangers lose their series finale against the White Sox, resulting in them losing their second straight series. Texas is 40-42 and they drop to fourth place in the American League West standings. Furthermore, they’re 15.5 games behind the first-place Houston Astros. By now, it’s safe to say that Texas’ first half of this season has been a roller coaster of a half.

A good afternoon for baseball. Unfortunately for the Texas Rangers, it just wasn’t their afternoon. Chicago quickly took a 1-0 lead in the first. In the third, Texas managed to tie it, only for Chicago to make it 4-1. In the fourth and fifth innings, Texas scored two runs, making it 5-4, going into the sixth. Come the bottom of the eighth, Chicago took a 6-5 lead and it turned out to be the decider as Texas could not respond.

Tyson Ross took the mound, hoping to have a game similar to his start in Cleveland earlier this week. He pitched 5.0 innings, allowing four hits, four runs, and striking out three batters, earning a no decision. A bit of shaky performance, but overall it was not bad. In any case, he needs pitch more effectively his next start next week against the Angels.

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Ernesto Frieri relieved Ross, pitching 1.0 inning, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out two batters, earning his second hold this season. Frieri has only appeared in five games so far, but he’s doing a good job. In any case, he must keep it up.

Matt Bush then came in. He pitched 1.0 inning, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out two batters, also earning his second save. He’s no longer the closer. Moving Bush as a reliever is a smart move. It’s possible he’ll close again, but moving him down will relieve pressure of his shoulders and allow him to pick himself up and put himself back together. Furthermore, it’ll help him regain confidence. Perhaps more confidence then before.

Jose Leclerc pitched the eighth inning, allowing one hit, two runs, and striking out one batter, falling to 1-2 and suffering his first blown save this season. For now, Leclerc just needs to pick himself off the ground and dust off his shaky performance.

Texas’ pitching now has 17 blown saves. When they were at 16, they were already leading the league. This rubs salt into their deep wound. Their 13 saves this season places them 27th in the league and their 4.40 ERA places them 16th. Furthermore, their 577 strikeouts puts them 29th. Fielding leads the league in double plays with 90.

Offense finished 9-for-38, striking out 12 times. The streak of eight or more strikeouts in a game is now at two. Delino DeShields, Adrian Beltre, and Pete Kozma. Kozman has failed to get a hit in his last ten games, going 0-for-14, striking out seven times. Beltre is 29 hits away from reaching 3,000 and is 2-for-17 in his last five games.

Shin-Soo Choo is now on a two-game hitting streak, going 5-for-10. Elvis Andrus extends his hitting streak to five games. Carlos Gomez and Mike Napoli both have a hit in three straight games now, and Jonathan Lucroy has a hit in four straight. Robinson Chirinos snaps his two-game hit-less streak, going 1-for-4.

Offense’s 123 home runs puts them fifth in the league. Their 74 stolen bases places them second in the league. Furthermore, they’re fifth in the league in strikeouts with 769 and seventh in runs scored with 412.

The Rangers now head home for a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. Martin Perez returns from the disabled list to take the mound. Boston is a strong team, but Texas needs to fight and find a way to win this series. They can’t afford to lose three straight series. Texas has six games remaining this half. They need to try and win them all. If they can, it’ll boost up their confidence and momentum.

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