60-63 - Hamilton brings memories of better days as Rangers outslugged by Twins 12-7

With the Texas Rangers honoring Josh Hamilton tonight, a game in a season that doesn’t matter much felt like it mattered even less as the telecast was peppered with highlights from better times to make for a nostalgic feeling (Hamilton stopping to hug Nelson Cruz might be the closest we ever get to 2011 closure) for a time that is most definitely gone but very long from forgotten.

Nevertheless, the show of 2019 Texas Rangers baseball had to go on and in the actual game, the Rangers trailed 6-0 before they even got to step to the plate as the Twins scored six runs off Ariel Jurado before he collected a third out. After the ceremony to induct Hamilton and former Arlington mayor Richard Greene into the team’s Hall of Fame took up a weighty 40 minutes past the scheduled first pitch, we were in for a long night.

Considering how things have been going with the bats of late, you could have probably excused the Rangers if they’d decided to just punt this one and move on but Texas ended up scoring 7 of the next 13 runs plated on the night so that’s something!

Unfortunately, if you do the math, that means the Twins won 12-7 and the Rangers will need a win in tomorrow afternoon’s finale to avoid a sweep.

Player of the Game: Danny Santana had two home runs through the first two innings and for a moment it looked like it might have been fate that Hamilton was in the building but alas, Santana would have to settle for a two-dong night.

Up Next: The Rangers and Twins close out this series on Sunday afternoon with RHP Lance Lynn looking to help Texas salvage a win against LHP Martin Perez and Minnesota. First pitch from The Ballpark is unfortunately scheduled for 2:05 pm CT in August in Arlington, TX. Good luck.