Texas Rangers: Team Comes Up Short Despite Valiant Effort

The Texas Rangers lose their second straight game. As a result, they drop to 40-43. Furthermore, they’re 16 games behind first place in the American League West standings. Texas is 2-6 in their last eight games. They have five games left to play before the wrap up what’s been a roller coaster of a first half of baseball for them. In any case, they must try hard to win these next five. It’ll help.

A long and competitive night for the Texas Rangers. Texas quickly took a 1-0 lead only for Boston to immediately make it 2-1. Texas scored in the fourth to tie it up. Jumping to the sixth, Boston jumped to a 5-2 lead. Amazingly, Texas scored one run in the next three innings, tying the game and forcing the game to go into extra innings. In the eleventh, Boston took a 7-5 lead and Texas failed to respond.

Martin Perez returned from the disabled list and took the mound. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, and striking out three batters, earning a no decision. A very shaky performance for him. In any case, he needs to be ready the next time he pitches.

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A very decent performance by the bullpen. The only hiccup is Ernesto Frieri’s unsteady pitching in the eleventh that allowed Boston to again take the lead. Frieri falls to 0-1. It’s okay, though. He’s been on the main roster for a short time, so there’s times where he’ll come up short. For now, he needs to dust this off and prepare for his next appearance as it could be tomorrow.

Tony Barnette took over when Perez was pulled. He pitched 1.0 inning, allowing one hit, no runs, and struck out two batters. Jason Grilli, who was acquired last week from the Blue Jays, played his first game in a Texas uniform since 2009, pitching 1.0, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out two batters. A rough year for him as he’s 2-4. He left Toronto with a 6.97 ERA, pitching in 26 games. His performance in this game is the first step to turning his 2017 season around. In any case, he needs to keep it up.

Matt Bush and Jose Leclerc each pitched 1.0 inning, allowing no hits, no runs, and Leclerc striking out batter, and Bush striking out zero. Leclerc had a bad run in Texas’ last game in Chicago when suffered his first blown save. As far as Bush goes, he made more progress in reforming. Seems like he’s accepted his role to be a reliever and is focused on only that. He, too, must keep it up.

Offense finished 7-for-39, striking out nine times. The eight more strikeouts in a game is now at three straight games. Shin-Soo Choo, Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor, Mike Napoli, and Carlos Gomez all extend their hitting streaks. Choo has a hit in three straight games, Andrus and Odor in six straight, Napoli and Gomez in four straight. Regrettably, the offense is fourth in the league in strikeouts with 778 and 27th in hits with 667. Furthermore, they’re fourth in homers with 126 and seventh in runs with 417 and counting. Consequently, the offense is still in a slump. In any case, they need to wake up and decrease the strikeouts.

Yu Darvish steps on the mound in today’s game. He’s looking to snap a two-game losing streak and helping Texas avoid losing their third straight series.

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