What is the story about?
Rangers
4, A’s 3
- The Rangers beat a lefty starter! Woo hoo!
- MacKenzie Gore had what I’m starting to think of as a rather MacKenzie Gore start. He struck out the side in the first on 14 pitches, making you feel like he was locked in. The broadcast was marveling at how his fastball was playing, how the A’s hitters weren’t catching up to it.
- Then in the second, Tyler Soderstrom had a well struck fly out, Jacob Wilson smoked a double, and Darell Hernaiz had a hard hit single to drive him in for a 1-0 A’s lead. Corey Seager booted a two out grounder, which made things more worrisome, but Gore got Zack Gelof to fly out to end the inning.
- In the third, it looked like Gore was in danger of having a really short outing. A line drive single by She Langeliers, a walk to Nick Kurtz, and a line drive single by Colby Thomas brought a run in. A ground out advanced the runners, Jacob Wilson had a sac fly, and then a seven pitch walk to Max Muncy followed by a six pitch walk to Hernaiz loaded the bases with Gore at 32 pitches in the inning.
- Gore got out of it, though, getting Austin Wynns to fly out. And after that he was fine, allowing a single in the fourth and another in the fifth but not allowing either runner past first.
- Gore’s final line was three runs in five innings, six hits, three walks, seven Ks. He generated 14 whiffs on 106 pitches, 10 of which came on his fastball and another two on his sinker. His offspeed pitches weren’t getting it done.
- The bullpen, on the other hand, did get it done. An inning apiece from Cole Winn, Jalen Beeks, Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz, with just one A’s hitter reaching base over the final four innings.
- As for the offense, they didn’t get on base much, but when they did, they made it count. A pair of two spots, one in the third and one in the sixth.
- In the third they loaded the bases with no one out on a Danny Jansen HBP, an Evan Carter full count walk, and a Sam Haggerty bunt single. Brandon Nimmo brought home one run with a sacrifice fly, and a Corey Seager two out flare single brought home the second.
- Josh Jung was responsible for the second two run inning, as he went the opposite way for a home run after Seager had lead off the inning with a single.
- If you’re keeping track, Jung is now slashing .299/.354/.540 on the season. Not bad.
- Every other inning was a 1-2-3 inning for the Rangers, except for the fourth, when Jansen had a two out single.
- MacKenzie Gore hit 97.6 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.9 mph. Cole Winn touched 96.3 mph with his fastball. Jalen Beeks reached 95.3 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s fastball topped out at 92.9 mph. Jacob Latz hit 97.1 mph with his fastball.
- Brandon Nimmo had a 102.9 mph groundout. Josh Jung’s home run was 100.6 mph. Jake Burger had a 100.4 mph fly out.
- Can the Rangers win the finale on Sunday and take the series? Tune in and find out…
