Thoughts on a 7-3 Rangers win

Rangers 7, Blue Jays 3

• That was a bad road trip, but all’s well that ends well, right?
• Kolby Allard had a decent, though not real lengthy, start again today. 91 pitches in 5.2 IP, 4 hits, 3 walks and 5 Ks, and just 1 run allowed while he was in the game, though 2 inherited runners then scored when Emmanuel Clase allowed a pair of hits before ending the inning.
• Allard once again sat at 92-93 mph with his fastball, a couple of ticks higher than what he was reportedly throwing at least earlier in the season, which is an encouraging thing. Still early, but Allard is giving us reasons to feel good.
• Two shutout innings with 4 Ks for Rafael Montero. I’ve scoffed at the Rangers having him up but he has been impressive so far.
• And a 1 walk, 3 K ninth from Jose Leclerc. It wasn’t a save situation, but it was the 9th, and people have been fretting about him pitching in that inning, so...
• Danny Santana and Nomar Mazara each had a double and a home run. Santana had been slumping before a two hit game yesterday, and Nomar has, well, been Nomar this season, which isn’t really a good thing, so this is a positive development.
• Elvis Andrus, who has also been slumping, had a 4 hit day. Perhaps most encouragingly, he had 100+ mph exit velocities in four of his five plate appearances, and the fifth was 94.8. Maybe, perhaps, Elvis is getting back into a groove?
• Anyway, back to the U.S., and back to Arlington for a series against the dreaded Twins that starts tomorrow. Everyone shelve your complaints for a day.