What is the story about?
Reds
5, Rangers 3
- A let down home opener.
- For the second year in a row, the Rangers went into the ninth in the home opener with the game tied, then allowed a home run in the top of the ninth that resulted in a loss.
- That’s a trend I’d just as soon see the Rangers get away from.
- MacKenzie Gore pitched pretty well in his start. A pair of homers accounted for all three runs he allowed, but Gore struck out nine in six innings and didn’t walk anyone.
- In fact, Rangers pitchers didn’t issue any walks in the game. Good job there, guys.
- Although in retrospect, Chris Martin walking the first two batters he faced would have been a good thing.
- Martin, who was going to retire after last season, was expected to be the stabilizing influence in the pen. He was the most expensive bullpen arm the Rangers went and got this offseason.
- He’s now had three rough outings in four appearances this year, with the one good outing consisting of three pitches to one batter.
- Its early, don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but it it not an encouraging start.
- Offensively, I think it felt like the Rangers should’ve scored more than three runs. Six of the eight hits they recorded were of the extra base variety. None of them were homers, though, which would have been better.
- Brandon Nimmo continues to rake, going 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Wyatt Langford had a double and a triple, pushing his OPS up above 500.
- The 3 through 6 spots were an issue, totaling 1 hit in 16 plate appearances. Corey Seager struck out three times, which makes me sad. I don’t want Corey Seager to strike out a bunch in one game.
- Joc Pederson was hitless in his two plate appearances, making him 0 for 10 to start the year.
- There was a sequence in the bottom of the sixth that stuck with me. Jake Burger doubled to start the inning. Andrew McCutchen, pinch hitting for Joc Pederson once the Reds brought lefty Sam Moll into the game, grounded out to third, with Burger unable to advance. After a Josh Smith ground out, Moll threw four pitches to Josh Jung that were nowhere near the strike zone, seemingly pitching around him to get to Evan Carter.
- Carter saw three pitches from Moll. The first two were breaking balls he was bailing on that ended up strikes. The third pitch Carter swung helplessly at.
- Carter had a double in the game and scored a run. But that plate appearance against Moll highlighted how overmatched he is against just about any decent lefthanded pitcher.
- MacKenzie Gore reached 97.9 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.7 mph. Cole Winn topped out at 94.8 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s sinker touched 92.8 mph. Chris Martin’s fastball maxed out at 95.4 mph.
- Wyatt Langford had a 109.0 mph fly out and a 107.8 mph fly out. Joc Pederson had a 108.0 mph ground out. Corey Seager had a 107.0 mph ground out. Evan Carter had a 106.5 mph double. Jake Burger had a 104.2 mph double. Danny Jansen had a 103.3 mph double. Josh Jung had a 101.9 mph single.
- Shake it off, and move to the next.
