Thoughts on a 3-2 Rangers win

Rangers 3, Royals 2

• The Rangers might not be that good this year, but there are a few teams that are worse, and Texas just swept one of them.
• A nice outing from Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who got called up today and got the start after Yohander Mendez got in trouble and was sent down yesterday. It was the opposite of a Three True Outcome Start...Bibens-Dirks struck out no one, gave up no home runs, and walked one batter in 6.2 IP. He only allowed five Royals hits before leaning with two outs in the ninth, with Alex Claudio needing one pitch to record the final out.
• Jose Leclerc needed 21 pitches to get through a scoreless eighth with one K and one walk, and with the Rangers up two going into the ninth and Keone Kela having pitched the previous two nights, Jeff Banister went to Jake Diekman for the save. Diekman allowed a lead off home run to Mike Moustakas, then a single to Salvador Perez, prompting action in the bullpen, though the action was Matt Moore, which...you know. But Diekman followed that up by getting Alex Gordon swinging, then elicited a fielders choice grounder from Hunter Dozier. Dozier chose the to challenge the arm of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, making his first start at catcher, on a stolen base attempt, and was gunned down for the final out.
• Diekman, it is worth noting, also had pitched in the previous two games, but he doesn’t have the past arm issues Keone Kela has dealt with, and is older, so Banister apparently is more comfortable with him going two in a row.
• Also worth noting...this is the 28th time in the last 29 games Ranger pitchers have issued three walks or less.
• Speaking of streaks, Shin-Soo Choo has reached in 34 consecutive games.
• Kind of a blah game offensively for the Rangers, who scored their first run on a sac fly, and their second run on an IKF GIDP. The third run, though, was a solo home run by Rougned Odor, part of a 2 for 3 outing with a walk after sitting the past two games. That’s a very good sign.
• Also encouraging is that Joey Gallo, who has been more impatient than last season, drew three walks today. Gallo’s walk total is down significantly this season, and him drawing three bases on balls today is hopefully an indicator he’s getting back where he needs to be at the plate.
• And there’s a day off tomorrow, so we can all luxuriate in this win, and five game winning streak, an extra day.