38-49 - Rangers honor America with sacrifice...bunt, lose 5-4 in extras

The Rangers led the Astros 4-0 heading into the fourth inning but did not win tonight’s 4th of July baseball game and I don’t even want to talk about the fact that, in a tied game, with runners on first and second and nobody out, a man who has reached in 44 consecutive games opted to sacrifice them over one base, give up an out, and eliminate by far the best bat in the lineup.

The Rangers, of course, didn’t score.

Someone once tried to burn a US flag on a baseball field and that was a more American act than the bottom of the sixth inning for the Rangers tonight.

Player of the Game: Because I’m not placing the blame on Shin-Soo Choo for a sac bunt decision he very well may have made himself — because he was given the agency to do so by someone — we will note that Choo’s on base streak, now at 44 games after a long third inning dong, is tied for the second longest all time streak in Texas Rangers franchise history with...*checks notes* Otis Nixon. Huh.

Up Next: The Rangers begin a road trip on Thursday that will take them all the way to the All-Star break. The opener is in Detroit with Yovani Gallardo set to face off against LHP Matthew Boyd for the Tigers. First pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 6:10 pm CT.