Thoughts on a 4-0 Rangers win

Rangers 4, Jays 0

• Wow, that was nice.
• When the team is going poorly, and are on a losing streak, it feels like they are never going to win again.  So a game like this, once the final out is recorded, I feel like this sense of relief...like, "Wow, a win!"  Its like I can feel like wins are possible again.
• Great game by Yovani Gallardo, who did what he's done all year...throw strikes, get ground balls, and work deep into the game.  8.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 walks, 4 Ks, 29 batters faced, 0 runs allowed.  Gallardo now has a 2.72 ERA on the season.
• I was surprised to see Jeff Banister with the (relatively) quick hook, pulling Gallardo with one out in the 9th at 105 pitches, after giving up a single.  That said, he'd also given up a walk and a single in the 8th, and so you can argue he was starting to fade some.  However...Keone Kela was warming in the 8th, despite the fact that he's been ridden hard lately, and you had other relievers available.  I kind of get the feeling Banister was treating this as a "must win," and was going with the guys he trusted.  Once Gallardo let a runner get on base in the 9th, he was going to go get Shawn Tolleson, because he didn't want to run the risk of Jose Bautista going deep off of Gallardo, or getting an extra base hit, and setting up a situation where the game could slip away.
• Tolleson got down 2-0 on Bautista and then got him to line into a double play, ending the game while facing just the one batter.  So it all worked out.
• The Jays called up lefty Matt Boyd to face the Rangers today, and Texas struggles against lefties, so offensive struggles would have been expected.  But Texas hit three home runs off of Boyd, two of them off lefties, and while there were no crooked numbers, getting four one run innings will work.
• It was an interesting lineup, with Joey Gallo not only playing against a lefty, but playing center field, a position he said he had never played before in a real game, even going back to Little League.  Gallo just had one play in center on an easy fly ball before Leonys Martin came into the game for defensive purposes in the bottom of the sixth, replacing Ryan Rua and allowing Gallo to move to left.
• Two hit days for Adrian Beltre and Prince FIelder, as well as Rougned Odor, who had one of the home runs, as well as a sac fly and a stolen base.  Also homering for Texas were Mitch Moreland and Robinson Chirinos.
• Struggling today were Shin-Soo Choo, who was 0 for 5 with 3 Ks, and Rua, who struck out in all three of his at bats.  The Rangers need Rua to hit against lefties, given that he's going to be in the lineup pretty much any time a lefthander starts.
• In any case, Texas is back above .500, and can take the series with a win tomorrow.  Winning...its better than losing.