The Texas Rangers scored four runs but the Cleveland Guardians scored nine runs.
I will simply choose to be glad that A. the Rangers enjoyed a successful road trip against all odds and B. the road trip has now concluded.
Despite this one appearing to be an imminently winnable contest (after all, Texas did have 12 opportunities with RISP of which they only converted three while also leaving nine on base), a MacKenzie Gore flareup inning in the bottom of the second put the Rangers in a 5-0 hole and that’s
usually not something teams come back from.
It seemed like the Rangers might, though. They got to within 5-3 in the middle innings and had base runners and chances littered throughout but, in a game reminiscent of darker times from this season, they couldn’t get the big hit to get over the hump.
After getting the first two hitters on in the top of the seventh down a couple runs, Joc Pederson K’d in a pinch hit spot and then Josh Smith hit into a double play. That was the second double play that erased a prime scoring chance for Texas as Cam Cauley was doubled up to end a bases loaded threat in the top of the third.
Cole Winn was in the game for the bottom of the seventh and, well, you know what that usually means. Winn allowed a run and a hit that eventually came around to score to give Cleveland a comfortable lead.
Also, once the wheels kind of came off, Winston Santos finally got to make his MLB debut. After a shaky first few pitches, Santos got through his first inning as a big leaguer technically still sporting a 0.00 ERA despite allowing an inherited run to score. That did not last for long, however, as Santos was asked to finish things off with a second inning and old hero Austin Hedges took him deep for a two-run dong.
The Rangers are beat up. Probably like 60% of the roster would be in Round Rock if the FO had their druthers. They’ve played like 40 games in a row. They’ve played the most road games in baseball so far this season. They’ve played like 80 road games in a row. They’ve won some games they’ve had no business winning. I suppose for today we owe them a blind eye for an ugly afternoon.
Even with everything being familiarly weird for the Texas Rangers, and a blowout loss in this finale, they return home having enjoyed a 7-3 road trip which propelled them back over .500 and atop the AL West.
Player of the Game: Elias Diaz had a couple of hits and a couple of RBIs and also smacked his first home run as a Ranger. Unfortunately it was a solo shot in a 7-3 game and one of the rare moments that the Rangers didn’t have someone on the bases for them to strand.
Up Next: While the rest of the world has come down with a case of World Cup fever, the Rangers probably aren’t as thrilled about it. At least not this weekend.
There’s a World Cup Round of 32 match being played across the home parking lot on Friday which means, instead of getting a day off tomorrow, the Rangers fly out of Cleveland and immediately begin a home series against Detroit tomorrow night before getting their first rest in over two weeks on Friday before resuming the series on Saturday.
RHP Nathan Eovaldi will pitch for Texas in the opener opposite LHP Framber Valdez. The Thursday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can catch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
