9-12 - Calhoun’s homer not enough as Rangers fall 2-1 to Chicago

The Texas Rangers scored one run and the Chicago White Sox scored two runs.

Willie Calhoun was playing the role of Adolis Garcia to bail the Rangers out with a late-innings home run tonight. Calhoun’s solo dong put the Rangers on the board in a 1-0 game in the top of the ninth to help Texas avoid getting shut out.

Otherwise, the Texas hitters seem pretty comfortable just sitting back and watching Kyle Gibson work as tonight they scored as many runs (zero) in support of their top starter as they did in his last outing.

Unlike last time, when Gibson tossed eight shutout frames and the Rangers beat the Orioles 1-0 in 10 innings, Gibson allowed a run on a two-out wild pitch in his final frame that featured some sloppy defense and that run held until Calhoun’s heroics in the ninth.

Despite Willie’s best efforts, Chicago was able to plate a run in the bottom of the ninth to mercifully avoid ghost runners as the White Sox secured the series win before tomorrow afternoon’s finale.

Player of the Game: Gibson finished the evening going six innings while allowing one run on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. The run was the first that Gibson had coughed up since the first inning on April 13 in Tampa Bay.

Gibson is now sporting an ERA of 2.30 on the year and, in a better world, his effort tonight would have been rewarded with a win.

And, yes, Joey Gallo did reach base tonight (twice, via two singles).

Up Next: The Rangers and White Sox will close out this series with Texas looking to avoid getting swept. RHP Kohei Arihara will make the start for the Rangers against possibly RHP Lucas Giolito or maybe LHP Carlos Rodon who, as you may recall, most recently tossed a no-hitter.

First pitch for Sunday’s finale from Guaranteed Rate Field is scheduled for 1:10 pm CT.