70-73 - Calhoun clobbers as Rangers rally for 7-6 win over O’s

Brock Burke just can’t catch a break but the Rangers keep winning when he goes to the mound so he probably isn’t sweating it.

In his first three outings of his big league career, Burke allowed a total of three runs over 18 innings and somehow couldn’t find that first career win as Texas scored just six runs total in those three contests. Tonight, however, the Rangers scored seven runs which would have easily allowed Burke to coast to a victory in any of his other starts.

Apparently dealing with the aftermath of a days-long stomach virus, Burke gutted it out and had his worst outing in the Majors thus far as he tossed five innings and allowed six runs on six hits (three of which were home runs) while walking two and striking out just one batter.

Burke vacated with the Rangers trailing 6-4 but a three-run rally in the top of the seventh got the rookie off the hook. The Rangers are now 3-1 when Brock Burke appears but his personal ledger still reads 0-1. Baseball is just like that sometimes.

Player of the Game: It’s Willie Calhoun who, like me, is probably wondering what Ryan Rua and Carlos Tocci are up to these days after he smoked a couple of dingers in his first two at-bats to keep Texas in the game while Burke was struggling through his innings. Calhoun ended the night with a career-high four RBI and the first multi-dong night of his career.

Up Next: The Rangers are undecided on who will start on Saturday while the Orioles will turn to RHP Aaron Brooks. First pitch from Camden Yards is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT.