Texas Rangers news: Brooms, noise, and Tampa Bay Rays rematch
After sweeping the Guardians over the weekend, the Rangers look to avenge their series defeat at the hands of the Rays from last month.
What an incredible weekend of Texas Rangers (55-39) baseball. The Rangers came out fighting after the All-Star break, and took care of business, to the tune of a series sweep of the Cleveland Guardians. It was truly exciting, as the Friday and Sunday games featured come back wins, and the Sat contest was a shutout victory, 2 to 0.
Yesterday's game was the first time all season that the Rangers have come back to win a ball game when trailing after seven innings. After seeing the deficit swell from one run to three in the top of the eighth, the bats went to work in the bottom half of the inning scoring four runs taking the lead. It is fun to win, but that game yesterday seemed extra special.
Texas Rangers send fans into frenzy and crank up the noise inside Globe Life Field
And while I wasn't in the stadium yesterday, it is hard to deny the amount of noise that Rangers' fans were generating. From the first time that I stepped foot in Globe Life Field (Game 1 of the 2020 World Series), I wondered to myself, how loud the stadium would be in the midst of a playoff contention season and ultimately the playoffs.
We are getting the answer to the first part of the question right now, and it is so loud. First off, the speaker system in the stadium can make it deafening all on its own, but pack in 30,000 to 40,000 hyped up, screaming fans in there, and it gets crazy. As we march forward with playoff continued aspirations and find ourselves in the middle of a division arms race with the Astros, the decibels being pumped out inside Globe Life Field are sure to reach a fever pitch. It sure is nice to have life around the Rangers once again.
Texas Rangers schedule versus the Tampa Bay Rays
Date and Time | Probable Pitcher Rangers | Probable Pitcher Rays |
---|---|---|
Mon 17th - 7:05 CT | Dane Dunning RHP 8-2, 2.84 ERA, 59 SO | Shane McClanahan LHP 11-1, 2.53 ERA, 101 SO |
Tues 18th - 7:05 CT | Nathan Eovaldi RHP 10-3, 2.83 ERA, 109 SO | Taj Bradley RHP 5-5, 5.43 ERA, 80 SO |
Wed 19th - 1:05 CT | Jon Gray RHP 6-5, 3.45 ERA, 79 SO | TBD |
One of the top traits of this Texas Rangers team, is their ability to not make the highs too high, or the lows too low. As fans it can be more difficult to stay on a bit of an even keel, but for the Bruce Bochy led Rangers, it is just the way that they go about their business. While there was plenty of smiles and high fiving after yesterday's come from behind win, the team will have to quickly turn their attention to the Tampa Bay Rays (60-36) as they start a three-game series with the AL East leaders tonight.
Texas Rangers (MLB's 4th best team) to host the Tampa Bay Rays (MLB's 2nd best team)
The two clubs faced each other last month in Tampa Bay with the Rangers coming out on the short end of the series, one game to two. This will be the last time that the two teams face each other in the regular season and the Rangers will be looking to at least even the season series at three games apiece.
There will be no easing into the series, as the Rangers will have to battle against Rays ace Shane McClanahan in the opener tonight. McClanahan picked up the win against the Rangers in their previous meeting. The Rangers will counter with Dane Dunning tonight. Dunning didn't face the Rays in the previous series and will be looking to continue with his extraordinary year.
In game two on Tuesday, the Rangers will send their ace, Nathan Eovaldi, to the mound. Eovaldi picked up the lone Rangers victory against the Rays in Tampa Bay last month. The final game of the series will pit Jon Gray against a pitcher to be named later, which knowing the Rays, could end up being a bullpen day.
Good things are happening in Arlington, and the Rangers will be striving to keep the momentum heading in the right direction as they host yet another first place team.