What is the story about?
Rangers
5, Nationals 0
- It is a win. Woo-hoo!!!
- Was the time change the problem? Did the Rangers just need to get back to the Shed? To sleep in their own beds?
- It is nice to start the homestand off with a solid double-ya.
- Cal Quantrill continues to provide the Rangers with quality outings filling in in the rotation, logging seven shutout innings. Its the deepest he’s gone in a game since May of 2024, when he was pitching for the Rockies.
- C.J. Abrams led off the game with a ground rule double off of Quantrill. The Nationals didn’t get another runner as far as second base until the eighth inning, when another ground rule double, this one off of Robby Ahlstrom, put runners on second and third with two out.
- The Rangers scored all five of their runs in the first three innings.
- On the one hand, you’re a little frustrated, because there’s a lot of runs scored early, and then none after that, and you think, hey, what’s wrong, why did you stop scoring? I was looking forward to double digits in this game.
- On the other hand, scoring a bunch of runs early instead of spreading them out or scoring them late allows you to have a comfort level throughout the game. Less stress, owing to significant margin.
- A game you win 5-0 thanks to four runs in the eighth is much more anxiety-inducing than a game you win 5-0 thanks to all the runs scoring in the early going.
- Wyatt Langford, mired in a lengthy slump, came through with a pair of hits and a walk, scoring two of the Rangers’ runs, including their first run of the game, courtesy of a Jake Burger GIDP.
- Langford also scored the third run of the game, when he came home on an infield grounder by Brandon Nimmo. The throw beat Langford, but he was able to get his hand on the plate before the tag. The Nationals challenged, the call stood, and there was happiness and joy throughout the stadium, except in the field where the Nationals players were standing. And the Nationals dugout.
- Corey Seager, off of being out of the lineup Sunday and then having the Monday off day, had a single and a double, each of which moved Langford to third prior to Langford ultimately scoring. Give Seager an assist, if you will.
- Justin Foscue came into the game slashing .174/.208/.217 since the All Star Break. He took Nationals starter Jackson Kent deep for the Rangers’ second run. It was Foscue’s first home run since July 9.
- Brandon Nimmo had two hits! Cody Freeman had two hits! Texas had 11 hits in all, along with 4 walks, and maybe you’re saying, well, the Rangers should have scored more runs then, what with all those hits and walks, in which case I say, shut your damn piehole.
- Meanwhile, the Astros lost, putting Texas a game back in the West.
- Detroit and Baltimore, who were tied with the Rangers for the third Wild Card spot heading into Tuesday’s games, each lost, so Texas is now in sole possession of WC3.
- There are a whopping five teams within a game of WC3, however, so don’t get too comfy there.
- The Mariners are three back of the Rangers in the Wild Card race, having dropped a game back due to being beaten 22-0 by the Brewers.
- And yes, I mentioned how far back the Mariners are just to have an excuse to mention that they lost 22-0.
- Cal Quantrill touched 95.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.9 mph. Robby Ahlstrom’s sinker topped out at 95.2 mph. Jakob Junis’s changeup hit 87.3 mph. Tyler Alexander’s fastball maxed out at 92.2 mph.
- Corey Seager had a 107.6 mph double and a 103.7 mph single. Brandon Nimmo had a 106.1 mph single and a 102.9 mph single. Wyatt Langford had a 105.5 mph single. Justin Foscue had a 105.1 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 104.3 mph single. Jake Burger had a 103.8 mph single.
- Can the Rangers build on this victory and start a winning streak? Tune in and find out!
