What is the story about?
Rangers
5, Phillies 4
- I would have preferred that the Rangers first win of the season be a little less exciting.
- The pitching was a plus.
- Jacob Latz was tapped to make the start on a cold and blustery day due to Jacob deGrom’s neck stiffness sidelining him. An ominous beginning to the day.
- Latz exceeded all expectations with his performance in the spot start, allowing only one baserunner through the first four innings, when Adolis Garcia reached on an E3 due to Jake Burger dropping a wind-blown infield pop fly. He started the fifth against lefty Bryson Scott, who worked a walk, and then was replaced by Cole Winn.
- Winn retired the first two batters he faced before a J.T. Realmuto infield single gave the Phillies their first hit of the game. A 3-2 walk to Justin Crawford loaded the bases, but Winn struck out Trea Turner on three pitches to end the inning.
- That fifth inning was the closest thing to a rally the Phillies were able to generate until the ninth, as Jalen Beeks retired all three batters he faced and Jakob Junis all six batters he faced. Texas took a one hitter into the ninth, and I was wanting the official scorer to change Realmuto’s infield single to an E4.
- Robert Garcia came in in the ninth to finish things out, and after fanning Kyle Schwarber and getting Bryce Harper on a weak grounder, a weakly hit bloop into center by Alec Bohm kept Philly alive. An eight pitch battle against pinch hitter Edmundo Sosa resulted in a walk, and Skip Schumaker brought in Chris Martin to get the final out.
- Martin got Adolis to pop up behind first base, and it looked like the game was over. For the second time in the game, however, Burger was flummoxed by the wind. He couldn’t make the catch and picked up his second E3 of the game.
- Adolis then got sawed off by Martin, but managed to loft a softly hit fly down the left field line that fell in for a double, making it 3-1. Brandon Marsh then followed with the only hard hit ball of the inning, a two run single, to tie the game. Martin got Realmuto on a 3 pitch K after that, but the damage had been done, and extra innings ensued.
- Texas had taken the three run lead early on, with Corey Seager homering in the first inning and Jake Burger hitting a two run shot in the third. That third inning also featured a tremendous blast to center by Wyatt Langford that looked like a sure homer — however, the wind knocked it down, and Justin Crawford made a tremendous leaping catch to rob Langford of extra bases.
- Texas got baserunners here and there after that, but didn’t make serious noise again until the tenth. Langford fought off a difficult Jhoan Duran pitch for an opposite field single, sending Zombie Runner Brandon Nimmo to third, and then Nimmo scored and Langford went to second on a wild pitch. After Seager and Burger fanned, Andrew McCutchen’s line drive single made it a two run game.
- It turned out the Rangers needed that insurance run, as Tyler Alexander allowed a two out single to Harper, scoring the Zombie Runner and sending Otto Kemp, who had reached on an HBP, to third. An Alex Bohm pop fly — which was caught — ended the game, and we could all be happy.
- There was some discussion about the Rangers doing nothing against Cristopher Sanchez on Thursday, and to what extent that was an indication of the offense repeating its haplessness do, last year. The Phillies got shut down through eight innings by Jacob Latz and a collection of middling relievers, would have been shut out if Burger hadn’t botched the ninth inning pop up, and only had one hard hit ball in the final two innings when they finally scored some runs.
- It’s a reminder that good teams get shut down sometimes.
- Jacob Latz topped out at 95.1 mph with his fastball, averaging 92.4 mph. Cole Winn’s fastball hit 95.1 mph. Jalen Beeks reached 92.7 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s fastball reached 92.6 mph. Robert Garcia topped out at 95.5 mph with his fastball. Chris Martin’s fastball touched 95.0 mph. Tyler Alexander maxed out at 90.3 mph.
- Joc Pederson had a 109.7 mph ground out. Wyatt Langford’s blast to the wall was 107.0 mph. Evan Carter had a 106.0 mph single. Jake Burger had a 104.1 mph home run. Corey Seager’s home run was 103.2 mph. Brandon Nimmo had a 103.0 mph single and a 101.1 mph single. Andrew McCutchen’s single was 101.7 mph.
- The Rangers won’t be swept, which is good. Sunday afternoon they try to take the series.
