64-86 - Lineup leaves Sampson high and dry again, Rangers fall 3-0

Adrian Sampson may be no Jacob deGrom but at least the Mets’ll get him a hit every now and then.

Tonight marked Sampson’s third appearance with Texas — his second start — and until he had reached exactly ten innings pitched this season, his Rangers teammates had not collected even one hit while he was still the pitching in the game.

Sampson was the starter last week when the Angels nearly bullpen’d their way to a no-hitter and tonight, it took Texas until two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tally a base hit — coincidentally with Isiah Kiner-Falefa the hitter to erase the no-hit bids in both games.

The bats don’t just stop scoring runs when Sampson takes the mound like your average hard-luck hurler, they don’t even bother getting hits. Overall, the Rangers managed just two hits against Tampa Bay as they lost their final homestand opener 3-0.

Player of the Game: It’s hard to blame Sampson tonight as he gave the Rangers 5 ²⁄₃ innings of two-run ball against a team in the Rays with MLB’s best record in the last month at 23-7.

Up Next: The Rangers will send Yovani Gallardo to the mound on Tuesday night opposite Cy Young contender LHP Blake Snell. Since Adrian Sampson isn’t pitching, perhaps the Rangers will get a hit or two or hey maybe a run even. First pitch from The Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT.