Thoughts on a 5-1 Rangers win

Rangers 5, A's 1

• What more can you say about Colby Lewis at this point?  Fittz talked about Colbyashi's journey, how he ended up here and what he's overcome and fought through, and it never ceases to be amazing.  At one point in 2014, it looked like he was done, like he'd battled back from elbow and hip surgeries but just couldn't be a quality major league pitcher anymore...and here we are, two years later, and he's among the league leaders in ERA and trailing just Clayton Kershaw in Quality Starts among major league pitchers.
• I'm lucky to be a fan of the team that signed Colby Lewis out of Japan, and which has had him in the organization the past seven years.
• One of these days, we're going to have another Rangers no-hitter...there have been only five in Rangers history, and the last one was Kenny Rogers' perfect game.  Colby Lewis has come close now twice in the last half-season or so, once last September, once today, both against the A's, both times taking perfect games into the 8th inning.  I am reasonably certain that the next Rangers pitcher to throw a no-hitter will not be Colby Lewis...but you know, I wouldn't bet against him.
• The funny thing about today's game is, for much of the game, A's starter Daniel Mengden (making his second major league start) just about matched Colby's performance.  The Rangers were stymied early on, and didn't get on the board until the top of the 7th, when Ian Desmond led off the inning with a home run.  A second run scored in the 7th due to Nomar Mazara reaching on an error, advancing to third on Adrian Beltre's single, and scoring on a Prince Fielder fielder's choice.
• The insurance runs came in the eighth...Rougned Odor had a bunt single, went to second when Desmond was walked, and after a Mazara line out, Beltre drove both runners home with a double.  After a Prince line out and a Ryan Rua IBB, Mitch Moreland singled home Beltre for the final run.
• Four Rangers hitters accounted for all the hits today -- Beltre had three hits, Desmond two hits and two walks, and Odor and Moreland had a pair of hits apiece.
• Texas won another series, has won 20 of their last 26, and is now 42-25 on the season, the best record the franchise has ever had after 67 games.  Texas is up 6.5 games on Seattle.  Things are good.