Thoughts on a 10-9 Rangers win

Rangers 10, Mariners 9

• That was adventurous at the end.
• Mike Minor got the start, and continues to just go out there and pitch like a legit #1 starter. 11 Ks in 6 innings tonight, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks.
• Both runs scored in the 6th, when a Mitch Haniger single and an Edwin Encarnacion double put runners at second and third with no one out. After a strikeout, Ryon Healy lifted a fly to medium deep center field, and Joey Gallo unleashed a bullet towards home, but it was cut off by Ronald Guzman, and realistically, probably wouldn’t have gotten the runner. Joey was then shown complaining to Rougned Odor about the cutoff, finally saying “That’s bullshit!” before the camera cut away.
• Minor then generated a weak roller between second and third, but the runner passed right before Asdrubal Cabrera stabbed at the ball, seeming to just tip it with his glove, and it got past Danny Santana and into shallow left for a run scoring single. But it should have been kept in the infield, but for glancing off Cabrera’s glove, and was unfortunate for Minor he got tagged with another run.
• Minor now has a 2.64 ERA on the season, and is leading A.L. pitchers in bWAR by a healthy margin.
• Shelby Miller came in and struck out the side in the 7th, and made us think, hey, maybe Miller as reliever is a real option! Then he gave up a grand slam in the 8th to Tim Beckham and was lifted for Brett Martin.
• Chris Martin came in to preserve a four run lead, and gave up three runs, because the Rangers closer role is dark and full of terrors. Jose Leclerc was warming at the end, which would bring things full circle, I guess, though Martin escaped. But yeah, got to make it exciting.
• So, bats! Texas jumped on Mike Leake for five runs in the first. A Shin-Soo Choo single and error followed by a single from Danny Santana brought home a run. After a fielder’s choice and a fly out, Joey Gallo walked, and then Rougned Odor hit a blast that initially broke Statcast, then was measured at 458 feet. Asdrubal Cabrera then homered, and it was lopsided right away.
• Texas scored two more in the 4th, on a Cabrera homer, then a Ronald Guzman double and a Shin-Soo Choo double. In the 7th, a Nomar Mazara double followed by a Hunter Pence homer and a Joey Gallo homer made it 10 runs for the home team. And of course, they needed every one of those runs.
• The Joey Gallo home run was off a guy named “Parker Markel.”
• Every Ranger had a hit, which is good.
• Back to just a game under .500. Lance Lynn can get them to .500 tomorrow.