Thoughts on a 6-3 Rangers win

Rangers 6, Giants 3

• The Rangers are now 3-0 since the news broke that they were acquiring Cole Hamels.
• This was a weird game...it looked like it was going to be a slugfest early on.  The Giants scored in the first, the Rangers scored two in the bottom of the first, the Giants tied it up in the top of the second, and then the Rangers scored four runs in the bottom of the inning.  After two innings, it was a 6-2 game.  And the final score was 6-3, with the last run coming in the 9th.
• Nick Martinez has seen his ERA escalate month by month...he was untouchable in April, good in May, bad in June, and has been terrible in July.  Early on, it looked like it would be more of the same, as he struggled with his command and a strike zone that was tight for both teams, giving up two out baserunners and looking like he was going to struggle to last long enough to qualify for the win.
• In the first, he got the first two outs, then allowed a pair of baserunners and a run.  In the second, he got the first two outs, then allowed three baserunners and a run.  In the third, he got the first two outs, then walked Hunter Pence, and it felt like more problems were coming.
• But instead, Martinez got Brandon Belt to fly out to end the 3rd.  Then had a 1-2-3 4th.  Then allowed a one-out single in the 5th that was erased with a GIDP.  Then had a 1-2-3 6th.  Martinez actually started the 7th, as well, but was pulled after allowing a walk and a single with one out.
• Still, it was a reminder that Nick Martinez can be a good starting pitcher.  We all knew he wasn't as good as he was performing in April, but he's not as bad as he's been in June and July.  When he has his command, he's a nice major league starting pitcher, and the Rangers can use guys like that.  His final line:  6.1 IP, 7 hits, 2 walks, 4 Ks, 2 runs.
• From that point, the bullpen took over and shut down the Giants.  Jake Diekman, newly acquired as the Mark Lowe to Cole Hamels' Cliff Lee, came in in the 7th in relief of Martinez, and retired five straight batters, getting it to Shawn Tolleson in the 9th inning.  Tolleson allowed a one out Brandon Crawford homer, but retired the other three batters he faced, sending everyone home happy.
• The Rangers had 10 hits today, with Adrian Beltre going 3 for 4 with a homer, Rougned Odor going 3 for 3, and Elvis Andrus going 2 for 4 with a double and a homer.  The other two hits were courtesy of Adam Rosales, who had a double, and Delino DeShields.  On the flip side, Josh Hamilton and Prince Fielder each went 0 for 4 with 3 Ks.
• Aside from Elvis Andrus ripping a homer off of Madison Bumgarner, the most notable thing in this game was the brouhaha that erupted at the end of the fourth inning.  Rougned Odor reached on a bunt single with one out, then aggressively took out the pivot man on a fielder's choice to eliminate the double play.  DeShields then popped out, and angrily threw his bat towards the dugout after the ball left his bat.  That angered Bumgarner (who was probably already mad about giving up 6 runs), and he yelled at DeShields, resulting in the benches emptying and there being a bunch of milling about, including glaring from Adrian Beltre.  There's some speculation that Odor's hard slide had tempers rising anyway, with the DeShields pop up then being the trigger, but in any case, warnings were issued, and we'll see if there's some carryover on this in the next two games.
• And this doesn't relate to this game, but Joey Gallo had two homers for Round Rock tonight.  He's not been hitting real well for the Express, but he may, just may, be heating up.
• Also, apparently Rowdy Roddy Piper died.  The only thing I've ever seen him in is a Slim Jim commercial, though.
• Here's video of the bench-clearing incident, by the way: