clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Thoughts on a 4-2 Rangers loss

The Rangers lose the rubber game in Boston, 4-2

By Adam J. Morris
Jared Wickerham

BoSox 4, Rangers 2

  • The Rangers played 6 games against Boston and Tampa, two playoff caliber teams, over the past week.  The starting pitchers during those 6 games:  Joe Saunders, Nick Martinez, Yu Darvish, Tanner Scheppers, Martin Perez, and Robbie Ross.  Under the circumstances, 2-4 was probably the most likely outcome.
  • Robbie Ross had a weird game.  Ross threw 98 pitches, only 51 of which were strikes, and he walked 6 batters against just 4 Ks.  But he only allowed 2 hits -- an infield single by Dustin Pedroia, which featured Ross throwing the ball away when there was no play at first which allowed a run to score, and a double that David Ortiz blasted to center.  But the Ortiz ball was the only ball that was hit out of the infield, and Ross got double plays when he needed them.  His final line:  5.1 IP, 1 run (0 earned), 2 hits, 6 walks, 4 Ks.
  • Alexi Ogando relieved Ross in the 6th after the Ortiz double, and mowed down the first five batters he faced, getting a pop out and 4 Ks.  Ron Washington sent Ogando back out for the start of the 8th with a 2-1 lead, and I liked the move, but Ogando allowed a four pitch walk to Jackie Bradley, Jr., then gave up a cheap, pop up single that barely fell fair down the right field line to pinch hitter A.J. Pierzynski.  After Dustin Pedroia sharply grounded into a fielder's choice, Ogando was lifted for Neal Cotts, who was brought in to face lefty David Ortiz.
  • It was the right move, but it didn't work out.  On a 1-1 count, Cotts grooved a pitch right over the heart of the plate, and Ortiz blasted it a mile, giving Boston a 4-2 lead that ended up being the final score.  Cotts has now blown two saves in five appearances, and has not looked like the guy who was so dominant in 2013.  I don't think anyone expected him to replicate 2013, but I think it was expected he'd be better than he has been so far in this very young season.
  • About the offense...bleah.  I don't want to think about it.  The runs scored on a Mitch Moreland homer, and an Elvis Andrus double/Prince Fielder ground out/Alex Rios sac fly.  No one got more than one hit, and Shin-Soo Choo (two walks and a double) was the only Ranger to get on base more than once.
  • The offense is a problem right now.