clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Thoughts on a 7-6 Rangers win

Rangers 7, Orioles 6

MLB: Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Rangers 7, Orioles 6

  • The bats woke up.
  • And a good thing, too. Brock Burke, battling a stomach bug, had his first bad start in the majors, giving up three home runs in 5 innings of work, including a two out, two strike, 3 run bomb to Rule 5 shortstop Richie Martin, who entered today with a 540 OPS. 6 runs allowed, with 2 walks and just 1 K. Not a good outing, but we can chalk it up to him not being 100% for now.
  • The bullpen came up big in relief of Burke, however. Brett Martin and Emmanuel Clase each threw a scoreless inning. Rafael Montero got in trouble in the 8th, putting 2 on with one out, but escaped with no damage. And Jose Leclerc started the ninth allowing a bunt hit, a walk, and a sac bunt before finishing off the game with a strikeout and a foul out.
  • Willie Calhoun hit a pair of home runs early on — this was his first career multi-homer game, and he set a career high with 4 RBIs. Willie continues to be a bright spot.
  • Every Ranger starter had at least one hit today except for the other bright spot bat-first young guy, Nick Solak, who was hitless but did draw a walk.
  • Two hit nights for Shin-Soo Choo, Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus. Elvis’s first hit of the game was a two RBI single that flipped a one run Ranger deficit into a one run Ranger lead that they held the rest of the way.
  • Scott Heineman, Jose Trevino and Ronald Guzman each had a hit and a walk. Positive steps for those guys.
  • And former Ranger first rounder Dillon Tate came into the game and pitched for Baltimore! We probably don’t want to remember the Rangers taking Tate, however.
  • Jonathan Hernandez starts tomorrow, as what I expect with be the first pitcher in a bullpen game.