Rangers 5, Angels 3
- Your Texas Rangers have won their fifth straight home series.
- And, thanks to the Houston Astros blowing a 6-0 lead against the Sacramento A’s, your Texas Rangers are in first place in the American League West.
- Yes, yes, its a tie in the West with Houston, and the Astros hold the tiebreaker so the Rangers are effectively a game back, but spare me all that nitpicking.
- At least for now.
- The Rangers also are tied for the third Wild Card spot with Cleveland. Texas does hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Guardians, having won 4 of 6 against them, so we have that going for us.
- The last time the Rangers lost a series at home was a month ago, when they lost two of three to the White Sox of Chicago, the very same team they are playing on the road starting Monday. I’m not sure if that’s an omen or not.
- I remain a Cal Quantrill skeptic.
- Nonetheless, he continues to exceed expectations.
- This is now five straight starts where Quantrill has given up 0 or 1 earned run.
- With six shutout innings in this start, Quantrill has now allowed one run in his last nineteen innings.
- He has lowered his ERA on the season to 2.90.
- I will note that Quantrill has a 4.01 FIP and 4.61 xFIP to go with the 2.90 ERA, which is why its not unreasonable to be skeptical about whether he can continue to do this.
- But it doesn’t change what has occurred so far.
- I will acknowledge that I got concerned in the eighth inning, when Peyton Gray allowed a homer to Zach Neto, and then Tyler Alexander allowed two more runs, bringing the tying run to the plate before Chase Silseth got the final out.
- I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but Peyton Gray is kinda trending in the wrong direction. He’s allowed three home runs in his last four outings, and five in his last 12 outings, after allowing just three in his first 33 appearances.
- I was also a bit concerned when Jacob Latz started the ninth by allowing Christian Moore to smoke a ball to the wall for a double, once again putting the tying run at the plate.
- It was fine, though, in part due to intentionally walking Mike Trout with two outs.
- Also, shoutout to Elias Diaz, whose success challenge on a 1-0 pitch to Moises Ballesteros, right after the intentional walk to Trout, turned a 2-0 count into a 1-1 count, ultimately leading to a game ending K of Ballesteros.
- Texas even managed to put some runs on the board, in a novel change from recent games.
- Ezequiel Duran, starting in center field as part of an effort to get some more offense going, allowing Cody Freeman and Justin Foscue to both start in the infield against a lefty and have the newly recalled Logan O’Hoppe start at DH, homered for the Rangers’ first run of the game in the second. Cody Freeman tripled home O’Hoppe later in the inning, and then scored on an Elias Diaz sac fly. Diaz added a home run in the fifth.
- Yes, your first place Texas Rangers were led by Duran, Freeman, Foscue, and Diaz today.
- To be fair, Corey Seager was 2 for 3 with in the game with a HBP, and Wyatt Langford was 2 for 3 with a walk, and Langford hit a double that put Seager on third so that he could score on a Brandon Nimmo sac fly for what was the final Ranger hit of the game.
- And, not to belabor the point or anything, but Seager and Langford getting their grooves on simultaneously would be a very fine thing indeed.
- Cal Quantrill topped out at 95.2 mph with his sinker, averaging 93.8 mph, and 94.3 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.4 mph. Peyton Gray hit 94.4 mph with his fastball. Tyler Alexander’s fastball hit 92.4 mph. Chase Silseth threw one sinker at 95.4 mph. Jacob Latz touched 95.3 mph with his fastball.
- Wyatt Langford had a 108.3 mph GIDP. Elias Diaz had a 106.3 mph sacrifice fly, a 106.1 mph fly out, and a 103.7 mph home run. Elias ate his Wheaties this morning. Cody Freeman had a 104.5 mph groundout. Brandon Nimmo had a 103.6 mph sacrifice fly. Corey Seager had a 100.6 mph single. Jake Burger had a 100.5 mph ground out. Logan O’Hoppe had a 100.4 mph single. Ezequiel Duran’s homer was 100.1 mph.
- Let’s be happy with the Rangers. At least for now.
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