How pissed off must Red Sox fans be right now, losing a game where Chris Sale gave up just one run, and then a game where they were beaten by Ariel Jurado?
Ariel Jurado and Adrian Sampson, incidentally, continue to be two pretty significant reasons why the Rangers have a winning record despite three-fifths of their Opening Day rotation being either on the 60 day injured list or terrible. I almost hesitate to talk about it lest it crumble to dust when light is shone on it, but...Jurado and Sampson have pitched pretty well. Sampson was non-tendered this offseason, I’d have been fine with them non-tendering Jurado, as well. If just one of them becomes even just a mediocre major league starting pitcher for a couple of seasons, that would be a coup.
Peter Fairbanks struck out the side, albeit while giving up a walk and a single. He has struck out 6 of 11 major league hitters he has faced, and continues to be one of the more remarkable stories for the Rangers this year, going back to April when a few people were saying this guy in A ball no one knew about was going to be pitching in Arlington this year, and much quicker than we think.
Hunter Pence had 3 walks and an inside-the-park home run and I don’t even know what to say about him anymore. He’s weird and weird things happen around him.
If I’m a Red Sox fan I’m also mad my team gave up an inside-the-park home run to Hunter Pence. That’s almost as bad as allowing Bengie Molina to hit for the cycle.
Chris Woodward got ejected by Angel Hernandez for arguing after not being allowed to challenge a call at second base, due to Hernandez saying he didn’t challenge it within the 30 seconds he was allowed. Evan Grant counted and said there were 11-13 seconds between the out call and Woodward coming out of the dugout. Hernandez said after the game stadium operations handles the 30 second clock. It is all quite mysterious.
The Rangers now have the Missouri Compromise record. And play an early game tomorrow due to game 7 of the Stanley Cup also being scheduled. And have guaranteed no worse than a split of this series against the most serious rival they have for the second Wild Card spot.