31-49 - Rangers swindled by Schwindel in 3-1 loss to Athletics

The Texas Rangers scored one Joey Gallo while the Oakland Athletics scored three runs.

And there goes the winning streak.

I should have known better than to taunt to Coliseum ghost. A night after busting made the Rangers feel good, the A’s and Chris Bassitt suppressed Texas long enough to beat them 3-1.

Tonight’s starter Kolby Allard allowed three runs in the bottom of the second capped off by a Frank Schwindel two-out, two-run home run. I had never heard of Frank Schwindel before. Apparently tonight was his first game of the 2021 season after playing in six games for the Royals in 2019. Was this the first career big league home run for Frank Schwindel? You bet. House of horrors and all that.

Though Texas rallied a bit in the ninth, the final runs eluded them and their opportunity to claim at least a series team was for naught for now.

The Rangers haven’t won a series in Oakland since 2016 — and frankly, it’s surprising it has been that recent — so they’ll have to take tomorrow’s finale to truly, momentarily end their Bay Area abuse.

Player of the Game: A Joey Gallo home run prevented an A’s shutout but Gallo gets this honor most nights so we’ll award Allard’s evening as he did settle in and toss a quality outing.

Overall Allard went six innings and allowed those three runs on just four hits and a walk while striking out five A’s in 91 pitches.

Up Next: The Rangers and A’s have a rubber match finale set for Thursday with RHP Dane Dunning next up for Texas against LHP Sean Manaea for Oakland. First pitch from The Coliseum is scheduled for 2:37 pm CT.