11-16 - No Cole, no soul: Rangers lose on Marwin slam

Can we trade Jurickson Profar for Marwin Gonzalez?

In baseball 2017, if you want to score runs, you gotta hit the long ball. Tonight, between the Rangers and Astros, 15 runs were scored. Ironically, the run that ultimately mattered was the final run the Astros scored which was the only run that did not cross the plate via a home run.

The Rangers hit five of those bombs while the Astros hit three. The difference is, three of the Rangers' homers were solo shots while Marwin Gonzalez hit a grand slam. Because, of course it was Marwin Gonzalez.

The boom or bust Rangers nearly boomed enough to almost make up for a ton of busting as Delino DeShields, Joey Gallo, Elvis Andrus, Nomar Mazara, and Jonathan Lucroy all hit dongs even while the team as a whole struck out 16 times, including four times in four at-bats for Mike Napoli.

The Texas pitching staff struck out just five Astros, comparatively. The only Rangers who did not strike out at least once was Mazara and Lucroy.

This has not been a good month or so of baseball for the Texas Rangers and now Cole Hamels is likely out for a while. We're gonna need some of that #LoneStarGrit.

Player of the Game: Standing O for Alex Claudio for stepping in no more than ten minutes before first pitch for a suddenly injured Hamels. While he ultimately allowed three runs, Claudio gave the Rangers four innings in the spottingest of spot starts while allowing the Rangers to settle in and take an early lead.

The Rangers rewarded him with the latest Marwin Gonzalezing.

Up Next: Nick Martinez takes the mound for Texas against RHP Charlie Morton of Houston in the critical third game of this 19 game series. First pitch scheduled for 7:10 pm CT.