Thoughts on a 7-5 Rangers win

Rangers 7, Astros 5

• I have a confession to make. Once Houston tied things up, I didn’t think the Rangers would win.
• Jokes on me, huh?
• Kyle Gibson continues to show we shouldn’t question the weird three year free agent deals for starting pitchers. Six innings of one run ball, though some long at bats meant he needed 106 pitches to get through six innings. Four hits, two walks, four strikeouts. Oh, and there was a hit by pitch mixed in there as well.
• Kyle Gibson now has a 2.24 ERA on the season. Since his disaster start on Opening Day it’s 1.50.
• Texas went through five relievers to get through the final four innings. Joely Rodriguez gave up three hits and was lifted with two outs in the eighth with the score 4-3 for Ian Kennedy, who was asked to get a four out save. Kennedy promptly gave up a game tying hit to Jose Altuve. Things didn’t seem good.
• When wacky rules extra innings started, Taylor Hearn had the tenth, and an E5 — Brock Holts second error in two innings — allowed a runner to score to put the Rangers behind. All seemed lost.
• But Adolis Garcia saved the day. A two out, three run home run, which Adolis knew was gone off the bat and celebrated as he went down the first base line, giving the Rangers a walkoff win.
• I am, as y’all know, an Adolis Garcia skeptic. And it is still early. But my skepticism is fading.
• Garcia also had a two run double in the win. That was a pretty big hit.
• And while Brock Holt had a big error in the tenth, he also had a home run, so that was good.
• Nate Lowe, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Jose Trevino each had two hits. Joey Gallo drew three walks.
• Taylor Hearn maxed out at 98.7 mph. Ian Kennedy hit 95.7 mph. Brett Martin and Joely Rodriguez each topped out at 95.4. Kyle Gibson reached 94.3 and Hunter Wood hit 94.2.
• Adolis Garcia’s home run was 104.3 mph off the bat. Brock Holt’s was 102.6 mph. Adolis also had a 103.0 mph double. Nate Lowe had singles of 108.6 and 104.3 mph. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a 103.6 mph single. Willie Calhoun had a single at 104.7 mph and a fly out at 102.0 mph.
• That was a nice win. Let’s make it two in a row now.