The Texas Rangers scored three runs but the Boston Red Sox scored four runs.
Well that one stings.
Despite the laundry list of things wrong with the club this season, the Rangers have been dang near perfect when leading late in games. Most of the reason for that is because Jacob Latz has also been dang near perfect. Tonight, with a 3-0 lead for much of the game, and a 3-1 lead in the eighth, the Rangers tried to get six outs out of Latz again after Jakob “Judas” Junis allowed two to reach to start
the inning.
Latz couldn’t do what he’s done all year as he allowed a back-breaking three-run home run to local boy Trevor Story to erase Texas’ evening-long lead. That disaster caused the Rangers to miss their shot at a revitalizing sweep and a return above .500 for the first time since early August.
I guess the good news is there’s still time but Texas is back to essentially being two games behind Houston in the AL West.
Player of the Game: I suppose I’ll nominate Cody Bradford for making use of an opener before successfully piggybacking for the bulk of the evening. Bradford worked through 4 1/3 innings of scoreless ball against the AL’s top Wild Card holders. The former Baylor Bear gave up just three hits and walked one while striking out three Red Sox.
The Rangers were perhaps eyeing Nathan Eovaldi to take Bradford’s spot in the rotation, but with Eovaldi coming through with some relief heroics last night, they turned to Bradford again tonight and he did his job before the bullpen collapse.
Up Next: It’s out of the frying pan into the fire for the Rangers as they open up a series against a fellow AL playoff hopeful with RHP Kumar Rocker expected to start for Texas the opener against RHP Dylan Cease for Toronto.
The Friday night first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you’ll find it on the Rangers Sports Network.
