Texas Rangers: Team Sweeps Washington Nationals

The Texas Rangers sweep the Washington Nationals. They remain in fourth place in the American League West standings, however with Houston losing today, they’re 13 games behind first place. The Rangers are now headed to Houston for a three-game series. Texas is 1-7 against Houston this season, and it looks as if the Silver boot will leave Arlington. It’s now time for Texas do pull themselves together and fight hard to make sure it stays in Arlington.

This is the Texas Rangers’ first sweep in nearly a month. Coming into the nation’s capital, they were squaring off with the toughest National League team, who was leading the N.L. in scoring runs. Texas’ pitching held Washington to a total of six runs in this series. Perhaps, Texas is heading in the right direction to turning their season around. Still plenty of baseball left. So, in any case, the Rangers must continue to play good ball.

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Austin Bibens-Dirkx stepped on the mound. Making his second career start, he pitched 7.0, allowing three hits, one run, and striking out two batters, earning his second win this season. However, this is Bibens-Dirkx first win as a starting pitcher. According to Evan Grant, by retiring 19 straight batters, Bibens-Dirkx became the first rookie pitcher in Rangers history to do so, breaking Yu Darvish’s record of 17. No doubt, it’ll be a day to remember for him.

Jose Leclerc relieved Bibens-Dirkx in the eight, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out three batters. Leclerc’s played well since his return from injury earlier this month. Alex Claudio closed the game, allowing no hit, no runs, and striking out no batters.

Excellent pitching in this series. Texas’ pitching’s ERA of 4.25 places them 16th in the league. They’re also tied for 12th in hits allowed with 546, 14th in runs allowed with 286, and tied for 28th in strikeouts with 429. Still got a lot of improving to do, but they’re performance in this series shows that improvements have already and are currently being made.

Offense finished 4-for-31, striking out eleven times. Shin-Soo Choo is the only player with more than one hit. Joey Gallo, Adrian Beltre, Jonathan Lucroy, Nomar Mazara, Delino DeShields and Bibens-Dirkx did not get a hit all went hit-less. Shin-Soo Choo’s solo homer in third tied the game 1-1. Shoo has homered in two straight games now. Scoring four runs in the eight inning, Texas took a commanding 5-1 lead, thanks to primarily to a triple by Elvis Andrus, and they held on to it.

Evan Grant further states that Texas’ offense has struck out at least eight times in 16 straight games, which is a tie for the third longest streak in the history of Major League Baseball. In any case, Texas must decrease the strikeouts.

The offense’s batting average of .242 puts Texas 24th in the league. They’re also 24th in hits with 504, 11th in scoring runs with 296, tie for third in stealing bases with 55, and 6th in strikeouts with 561.

Texas is now off back home to the Lone Star State, except they’re not going home. They’re heading to Houston. Yu Darvish steps on the mound. Texas only has one win against Houston. It’s time for Texas to fight back and defend the Silver Boot. Right now, it’s slipping out of their hands.