Thoughts on a 9-6 Rangers win

Rangers 9, Twins 6

• Seven in a row, you guys.
• Yovani Gallardo made his second start for the Rangers, and had another very Gallardo start. Two batters into the bottom of the first Minnesota had two runs, via a single and a home run, and then there was a one out walk to the cleanup hitter, and one started wondering how soon we would be seeing Matt Moore. But Gallardo settled down, and kept the Twins off the board until giving up a two run bomb with one out in the sixth. And by that time the Rangers has scored 9 runs, so Gallardo allowing it to go to 9-4 was no big deal.
• Gallardo’s final line: 5.1 IP. 6 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 3 Ks. And the win.
• Tony Barnette was summoned to finish up the sixth, and he went ground out, walk, K. Barnette now is sporting a 2.70 ERA...not bad for a guy whose 2018 option was declined, and who was then re-signed as a free agent for cheap.
• Matt Moore was brought in in the 7th to, I’m sure Jeff Banister hoped, finish the game. Moore gave up a lead off double in the 7th and then retired 7 in a row before getting in trouble with one out in the ninth. Three singles in a row prompted Banister to go to the pen for Keone Kela, who gave up a poked opposite field double just inside the third base line that scored two, before going K, walk (which loaded the bases), K to end the game.
• That’s 18 saves in 18 opportunities for Kela, if you are keeping track at home.
• Texas blew things up early on, putting up six in the second inning and chasing Minnesota starter Jake Odorizzi. An Adrian Beltre infield single started things, followed by a Rougned Odor single and a Jurickson Profar HBP to load the bases. A shallow fly out by Joey Gallo couldn’t get a run home, but Robinson Chirinos drew a walk to make it 2-1, and then a Delino DeShields single brought home two more. Shin-Soo Choo followed that with a ground rule double, and after an Elvis K, Nomar Mazara singled in two more to give Texas a 6-2 lead.
• Texas added insurance runs (that were needed) via a two run Chirinos home run in the third, and then a Beltre solo shot in the fourth.
• The Chirinos home run scored Joey Gallo, who had doubled, and who then left the game after the home run, due to a tight hamstring. Gallo says, though, he will be good to go tomorrow, per quotes from the beats on Twitter, though it wouldn’t be shocking if Banister gave him a day off.
• Beltre had a three hit day and DeShields had a two hit day. Only Elvis (0 for 5) and Profar were hitless among the starters, though Profar was hit by pitches three times. After the second HBP, with Texas up 9-2, Profar stole second, which seemingly resulted in Minnesota hitting him purposely the third time. Banister yelled at Minnesota manager Paul Molitor after the third HBP, but nothing ended up coming of it.
• So now the Rangers look to make it an eight game winning streak, and two straight road sweeps, behind Bartolo Colon tomorrow. Lets see if the bats can keep doing this sort of damage,