Angels 6, Rangers 3
- Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but yesterday’s game featured a good, but not great, outing by the Rangers starting pitching, a key meltdown by the bullpen, and an offense that didn’t do a whole bunch.
- This game felt like the Rangers’ season in a microcosm.
- Pluses from the pitching side...Nick Martinez went 6 innings, gave up 3 runs (on a solo home run and a two run home run), struck out 7, walked no one, and gave up just 5 hits. Tony Barnette and Sam Dyson had scoreless innings.
- Minuses from the pitching side...Jeremy Jeffress. Brought into the game in the 8th inning with a 3-3 tie, Jeffress got a ground out to start the inning, then gave up a single to Kole Calhoun, walked Mike Trout, then allowed a three run home run to Albert Pujols. That was ballgame.
- There was a certain amount of carping about why Jeff Banister didn’t go with Keone Kela, but really, Jeffress is supposed to be one of your better relievers, and I’m not going to complain about Jeffress pitching in a tie game in the 8th. He just didn’t do his job. It happens.
- Its also kind of difficult to complain too much about the bullpen decisions when the offense scores 3 runs.
- In any case, getting back to Martinez, this was his second straight strong start, he commanded his pitches well, and he looked good. A.J. Griffin had a rough rehab start for Round Rock last night, so it may be that Martinez will get another start. Its hard to argue he hasn’t earned the opportunity.
- As for the bats...once more, the bats didn’t do much. Delino DeShields and Elvis Andrus each had two hits, and score all three of the runs. The rest of the lineup went 3 for 24. That’s not going to get the job done.
- The three hits were picked up by Ryan Rua, Jonathan Lucroy and Mike Napoli. Lucroy, hitting 9th yesterday, looked better at the plate than he has for a while, and one would like to think that he’s about to snap out of the slump that has plagued him all season.
- On the other hand, Nomar Mazara and Rougned Odor each went 0 for 4, and the pair, who started the year so well, continue to tailspin.
- Joey Gallo was 0 for 3 with 2 Ks and a couple of throwing errors, though both were tough errors were Ryan Rua probably deserves at least as much blame for not making the play at first.
- Bah. Frustrating game. Hopefully we see Texas take the final two this weekend.