Thoughts on a 1-0 Rangers win

Rangers 1, Astros 0

• That was a combined one hitter tonight for Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, Jose Leclerc and Keone Kela tonight.
• Yeah, the Astros drew five walks, got an HBP and reached on an Adrian Beltre error, as well, but still, just one hit. That’s pretty good.
• The one hit was an Evan Gattis single to left field in the fifth inning, though he never advanced.
• Really, the closest thing to danger the Rangers faced came in the 8th inning. After Jake Diekman walked Josh Reddick to start the inning, Jose Leclerc struck out pinch hitter Derek Fisher swinging, and then got Jose Altuve on a fly out to center field. Reddick tagged up and moved to second, however, putting him in scoring position for Carlos Correa. Correa hit a soft pop up down the right field line that appeared to be in no man’s land, with Rougned Odor, Nomar Mazara and Ronald Guzman all converging towards it. It looks like one of those balls that drops in, and I was bracing for a tie game...but Guzman made an over the shoulder running catch with his back to the plate, a play that he made look routine.
• The Ranger offense didn’t do a whole lot more damage, but they pushed across a run in the seventh, which was all the scoring they ended up needing. Nomar Mazara, who had two hits on the night, led off the inning with a double, and with first base open, Adrian Beltre drew a four pitch walk. Joey Gallo, who has struggled against Houston starter Justin Verlander in his career, worked the count to 2-2, fouled a pitch off, and then took two pitches out of the zone to draw a huge walk and load the bases. Jurickson Profar then slapped an 0-2 pitch from new reliever Chris Devenski in the air to left field, deep enough to bring Mazara home on the sac fly, and that was the difference in the ball game.
• A very nice win, and really great work tonight from Cole Hamels and the relievers. And it feels good to start this series, and this road trip, with a W.