The Texas Rangers scored three runs while the New York Mets scored one run.
After a couple of elsewise embarrassing defeats to the National League’s New York squad to begin this crucial series, and with the threat of a crippling sweep, the Rangers decided to buckle down and give the hometown fans one last victory for the road in the final scheduled game at The Shed during this long, weird season.
To accomplish their victory, the Rangers turned to two of their biggest, most necessary catalysts at the plate
and a cobbled together pitching staff working through things one pitch at a time.
Things started on an inauspicious note with today’s starter Kumar Rocker allowing a first inning run that had to have had the faithful thinking, “the Rangers are really going to bookend the home slate with series sweeps at the hands of NL squads?”
Indeed, the first home series of the season for Texas was a sweep by the Cincinnati Reds and down 1-0 immediately, it was looking like the Mets had claimed favorable odds for pulling off a final ignominious sweep of Texas in their building even with the division still hanging in the balance.
Leave it to the guy who has been carrying the load since he returned to action to dissuade that notion as Josh Jung followed New York’s first inning run with a two-run dinger in the bottom of the inning to put the Rangers up early. And, as we’ve learned over a whole summer and 80 home games, the Rangers having an early lead is perhaps the predominant key to their success.
To Rocker’s credit, with the Rangers using the entire supply of duct tape in the state of Texas to try to hold their pitching staff together at the moment, the young right-hander stepped up and pitched five innings with the first inning run being his only blemish.
Overall Rocker went his five frames allowing the run on three hits and two walks while striking out four Mets. After Rocker left, the beleaguered bullpen was tasked with needing to wade through four innings in a one-run game. Texas got those four innings out of Robert Garcia, Tyler Alexander, Chase Silseth, and Jordan Montgomery with only Alexander allowing a base runner. Kudos to the ‘pen. They stepped up today.
It didn’t remain a one-run game either as Corey Seager finally came through after a rough series and gave the arms a bit of insurance with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. Eventually that allowed Montgomery to pick up the save with Jacob Latz unavailable. It was just the second save of Montgomery’s career but it was a nice time to get it as Texas held on for the win.
With any luck, today’s game won’t actually be the final game played at The Shed this season but as far as the regular season goes, the Rangers are finished in Arlington. At 79-80, 14th best in baseball, the Rangers hold a half game lead over Houston for the American League West crown.
Player of the Game: We’ve taken to dubbing Jung “the straw” of late for being the straw that stirs the drink for what is a complicated offense that has been prone to disappear without him.
Today, without him, the Rangers and Met would presumably still be playing as his two-run home run in the bottom of the first to erase a 1-0 Mets lead proved the difference for a player who is proving to be a difference maker down the stretch.
Overall Jung went 3-for-3 with a walk to reach in each of his PAs today. Josh Jung wants some of that postseason action.
Up Next: The final series of the regular season begins for Texas as they travel up to Minnesota to take on a Twins squad that they have not beaten this year, as they were swept by them in Arlington back in June.
As the Rangers don’t really have any starters left a starter has not been named for the opener. Meanwhile, Minnesota will opt for RHP Joe Ryan in the opener.
The Friday evening first pitch from Target Field is scheduled for 7:10 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
