The Texas Rangers
scored ten runs while the Houston Astros scored seven runs.Tonight’s starter for Houston Jason Alexander must feel like the biggest chump alive. After the Rangers nearly experienced a perfect game against them in Anaheim two games ago, and then saw these Astros toss a no-hitter against them last night, Alexander had to have been eager for the chance to face Texas.
If you were wondering if maybe the Rangers felt a little embarrassed by want transpired last night, I think the first
inning tonight provided a decent answer. Alexander got an out to start the game and then ten more Rangers stepped up to the plate before he got the third out of the inning.
Before the final out of that fateful first frame the Rangers had collected five hits and scored eight runs. It was the most runs scored in the first inning at home in The Shed’s history, the most for Texas since 2004, the first time they’d scored eight or more in a first inning at all since 2012, and the most runs scored in the first inning following a no-hitter since 1905.
Brandon Nimmo’s one-out single was Texas’ first hit of the series and before the first inning had concluded, the lineup had combined to hit for the cycle with an Ezequiel Duran double, Evan Carter triple, and a two-out Joc Pederson three-run dinger to act as the exclamation mark in Pederson’s second at-bat of the inning.
We will ignore the fact that the Rangers only got one baserunner after the first inning until a ninth inning insurance run and that the Astros scored seven of the game’s final nine runs. Instead, we will celebrate the fact that for tonight, the first inning didn’t kill the Rangers and now they have a shot at a series win tomorrow night.
Player of the Game: After last night’s no show, only three Rangers regulars didn’t have a hit tonight with only two of them failing to reach base. However, it was Carter who produced a team-high three hits as he finished a double shy of the cycle following his sixth home run of the year.
Up Next: The Rangers and Astros close out this series with RHP Jacob deGrom on the mound for Texas opposite RHP Mike Burrows for Houston.
The Wednesday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
