Thoughts on a 7-4 Rangers win

Rangers 7, Jays 4

• The Bartolo Colon Experience continues. Colon did what he’s been doing all month for the Texas Rangers — throwing strikes, working quickly, and keeping the team in games. Colon allowed three runs — two on solo homers by Kevin Pillar and Lourdes Gurriel, one on a run scoring ground out — while giving the Rangers seven innings of work. It was another quality start for Colon, who picked up his first win of the season.
• Tony Barnette was warming in the 7th behind Colon, but didn’t get into the game — he hasn’t appeared yet since being activated yesterday. Jake Diekman pitched a scoreless 8th, and Kevin Jepsen was asked to close things out in the 9th with a four run lead, but he allowed a one out home run to Pillar -- Pillar’s second of the game — and then, when he walked Kendrys Morales with two outs, Keone Kela was summoned from the pen. After a 5 pitch save last night, Kela needed 4 pitches to get the final out tonight, though I’m sure Banister was hoping that with a four run ninth inning lead he wouldn’t have to go to Kela today.
• Jepsen in 2018 when pitching with 0 days rest: 4 appearances, 3.1 IP, 18 batters faced, 2 home runs, 3 walks, 2 Ks, 7 runs allowed.
• Jepsen in 2018 when pitching with 1+ days rest: 10 appearances, 9.2 IP, 36 batters faced, 0 home runs, 3 walks, 5 Ks, 1 run allowed.
• For the second day in a row, the Rangers used the long ball to get out to an early lead. Joey Gallo drew a one out walk, and after Renato Nunez was retired, Jurickson Profar cranked a ball deep off the third deck facade in left field. Interestingly, this was hitting righthanded, against the lefty Jays starter Jaime Garcia -- Profar has historically hit better from the left side. Robinson Chirinos then followed that up with an opposite field shot that snuck over the fence down the line, making it 3-0. Ryan Rua then tripled, giving the Rangers a chance to pile on, but Delino DeShields was retired to end the inning.
• The Rangers pushed two more across in the fourth. A Profar walk and a Rua one out fielder’s choice put Rua on base. He stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then Garcia ended up losing DeShields on a base on balls. DeShields stole second base, putting runners on second and third, and Shin-Soo Choo brought them both home with a double.
• The rest of the scoring came on a 6th inning Chirinos solo home run, and a 9th inning Choo single that brought DeShields home.
• Every Ranger got a hit except for Joey Gallo, who walked twice, and Renato Nunez, who walked once. Choo was 3 for 5, and Profar drew a walk to go along with his home run.
• That’s three wins in a row, for what feels like the first time since 2016. Texas is still off to an awful start and still has an awful record, but this has been fun baseball the last few games.