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22-29 - First frame woes come back to bite Rangers in 9-8 loss to Angels

Rangers put up a furious rally but the first inning setback proved too much to overcome

By ghostofErikThompson
MLB: MAY 26 Rangers at Angels Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Texas Rangers scored eight runs and the Anaheim Angels scored nine runs.

Dane Dunning has had his troubles in the first inning of his outings and that issue reared its ugly head in an even more grotesque manner in today’s finale loss to the Angels.

Coming into today’s start, Dunning had allowed a total of 18 earned runs in his 43 1⁄3 innings spanning nine starts. Of those 18 runs, 9 have come off of Dunning in the first inning. Today, in Anaheim, Dunning allowed an addition five runs before getting out of the first frame.

The numbers back up Dunning’s issues with the first time through the order as he — coming into Wednesday’s game — had allowed a wOBA of .337 (the equivalence of a 2021 Nick Solak) to the opposition when he faces them to start the game, while the second time through the lineup he has them sporting a .254 wOBA, or basically a 2021 Khris Davis.

After today, that first time through wOBA against might be looking like facing a team of May Adolis Garcias.

The Rangers ultimately outscored the Angels 8-4 over the course of the final eight innings of today’s contest, as they got to within a run late, but the first inning still counts so Texas was forced to suffer a two-game sweep in Anaheim as the comeback bid stalled in the ninth.

Player of the Game: Yeah, sure, Nate Lowe hit a two-run dong but no one cares about a Nate Lowe homer when there’s EL BOMBI! (We still care about Joey Gallo’s two-run dinger, though.)

No. 16 for Adolis ties him with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the MLB lead with Garcia spotting Vladdy Jr. a handful of games head start to make it a sporting contest.

Garcia has now hit 11 bombs in the month of May which is the most by a rookie Ranger in franchise history. Garcia has also now climbed up to ninth in baseball in fWAR and is sporting a robust slash line of .288/.324/.619.

Up Next: Perhaps the Rangers will enjoy an afternoon at Disneyland before hopping on a plane to begin a four-game series against the Mariners in Seattle.

LHP Kolby Allard will be grabbing Kyle Gibson’s turn in the rotation in the opener against RHP Chris Flexen for the M’s. Thursday’s opener from T-Mobile Park is scheduled for 9:10 pm CT.