Texas Rangers Week 24 Recap: A Four Game Series Sweep

Season record: 72-73

Week 24 record: 5-2

Series record: 17-17, 12 splits

The Rangers had a great week thanks in large part to playing the Baltimore Orioles who are on their way to losing 100 games this season, with a 46-97 record currently after getting stomped by Texas.

The Rangers started out last week by shutting out the Yankees in their first time facing them this season — the first time the Yankees had been shutout in 220 games. Texas won that game 7-0 which, to me, says a lot about how good Mike Minor is considering the Rangers lost the next two games 10-1 and 4-1, with neither of the Rangers runs coming until the ninth inning.

Then the Rangers went to Baltimore for a four game series and dominated. Their Thursday 3-1 win featured another great outing from Kolby Allard, who worked 6.1 innings and gave up just the one run. Meanwhile, on the offensive side, DH Nick Solak got two RBIs with his two-run homer in the top of the 7th and then scored the third run in the top of the ninth.

In Friday’s 7-6 win, Willie Calhoun had his first multi-homer game of his career while collecting a career-high four RBIs. Brock Burke had been sick with a stomach virus all week but still took his regularly scheduled start start. He went just five innings and only 75 pitches but since he was still getting over his illness, the Rangers were planning on limiting him to around 80 pitches. Burke gave up six runs on six hits and two walks — while this was not his best start, the illness provides, at least in part, a reasonable explanation for that.

Saturday ended up being a bullpen game with Jonathan Hernandez getting the start. The Rangers won 9-4 with Rougned Odor going three-for-four with three RBI with two doubles and a homer.

Finally, Sunday’s game was the blowout. With Mike Minor going eight innings and giving up just two runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts, he set the table for the Rangers to go off against the Orioles in the 10-4 win. Coming into the game the Rangers were batting .350 with RISP on this road trip, compared to their season average of .265. Every Ranger, except Isiah Kiner-Falefa, made it on base at least twice. Every batter got a hit and Solak got on base five times. Solak was one of four players with three hits in the game, which included Shin-Soo Choo, Ronald Guzman, and Jose Trevino. Logan Forsythe and IKF were the only two without multiple hits, though Forsythe also reached on a walk.

After wrapping up the four game series win, the Rangers head home for a six game home-stand including Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A’s and an off-day on Monday.