The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Arden Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Area Athletics scored two runs.
The Rangers should have saved a few of those eight runs from last night for tonight’s contest. In a strange contest, Texas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st with another RBI from Jake Burger in this series and then the strike zone became a mystery for Rangers pitchers.
Through a couple of innings, Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore seemed more or less like the guy we’d seen over the first few
starts during his tenure with Texas until he allowed a two-out double to A’s No. 9 hitter Denzel Clarke in the bottom of the 3rd.
At that point, Gore just kind of fell apart for many minutes as he walked the next two batters and then allowed a two-out, two-run RBI single to Jacob Wilson. Frustratingly, Wilson had already impacted the game with a couple of nice plays at shortstop with runners on base for the Rangers.
After the Wilson hit gave the A’s a 2-1 lead, Gore got out of the inning without any further damage but then walked the next two hitters he faced in the bottom of the 4th. Gore wiggled out of that inning too to keep the score a one-run game thanks in part to the A’s deciding to give up an out with a sac bunt. However, after a hit and another walk in the 5th, Gore’s night was finished.
Overall, Gore walked six A’s batters but he also only allowed three hits and struck out five. It was a bad command night for the left-hander but it was also a close game throughout. With Gore struggling and with Springs settling in after the 1st inning run, the game had a mystifying vibe that the Rangers were getting soundly defeated even though it was a 2-1 score from the 3rd inning on.
Despite some early chances, and a few at-bats late with runners in scoring position, the bats just couldn’t break through against former Ranger Jeffrey Springs and then collected just one hit off the Athletics’ bullpen.
Player of the Game: Though the Rangers walked a total of eight batters tonight with six from Gore and two more from the bullpen, and though Robert Garcia was one of those relievers who issued a walk, the recently demoted from high-leverage lefty gave Texas 1.2 innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts after Gore got the early hook in the 5th.
Garcia’s stock has fallen a bit in the season’s first few weeks but, in a one-run game, he helped keep the Rangers in this one by bridging the game from Gore to the late innings.
Up Next: The Rangers and A’s are back at it tomorrow with RHP Kumar Rocker expected to make the start for Texas opposite RHP J.T. Ginn for formerly Oakland.
The Wednesday evening first pitch from Sutter Health Park is scheduled for 8:40 pm CDT once again and will be telecast via the Rangers Sports Network.
