Thoughts on a 5-4 Rangers win

Rangers 5, Rays 4

• So it was just an issue of getting Kyle Gibson back, huh?
• Kyle Gibson was placed on the injured list on May 25. The Rangers had just completed a sweep against the Houston Astros, and were about to play the first game of a nine game road trip that day. The Rangers lost on May 25, and continued losing every game until today — the first day Gibson was back from the injured list.
• Gibson was, as has generally been the case this season, very good. Chris Woodward had a relatively quick hook — Gibson was lifted with two on and one out in the sixth, at just 73 pitches — though the fact it was his first game back and the Rangers are wanting to be careful with him probably was a major factor.
• Gibson struck out five, allowed five hits, walked no one, lowering his ERA on the year to 2.06.
• John King came in in relief of Gibson in the sixth, got a K and a fly out, and had a 1-2-3 seventh, thanks to a line drive that doubled off Yandy Diaz, who led off the inning with a single. His ERA on the year is now 1.82.
• Josh Sborz pitched the eighth with a 5-0 lead but gave up a two run home run, making it 5-2. But no big deal, right?
• The only problem is Ian Kennedy had a problematic ninth inning. Single, walk, fielders choice, walk loaded the bases with one out. A fly out gave Joey Gallo the chance to show off his arm with an impeccable, amazing throw home that elicited oohs and aahs, but didn’t really matter since the Rays weren’t going to try to score from third base in that situation on a routine F9, but it was still neat to watch the throw.
• Then there was a single to make it 5-4 with the tying run on third and bootyholes got tight, but Kennedy got Brandon Lowe — the guy who got the problems started by homering off of Sborz — to strike out swinging to end the game.
• This felt like more than five runs. I mean, I’m looking at the score and it’s clearly5-4 Rangers, but this, during the game, seemed like more of a seven run game. I don’t know.
• It may be because the Rangers have struggled so much that even a good-sized early lead feels like a blowout.
• Weirdness set up the first Ranger run in the third. Willie Calhoun singled, and Jose Trevino bunted him to second. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a grounder to third base, and Calhoun broke for third. Joey Wendle went to try to tag him, then realized he couldn’t, pulled up to throw to first, and realized he was too late there, too. An Adolis Garcia fielders choice then brought Calhoun home.
• In the fourth the Rangers had three straight singles to start the inning, bringing home a run. Charlie Culberson then laid down a sac bunt that brought Nick Solak home from third for the second run. Willie Calhoun had an RBI single, was called out at second for the second out advancing in the throw, but the call was overturned on review. Calhoun then got thrown out again, this time at home, trying to score on a Kiner-Falefa single.
• Joey Gallo hit a home run to center for the Rangers fifth run. It was beautiful.
• No walks today for the Rangers. Also only two Ks. That’s weird.
• Joey Gallo had two hits. Willie Calhoun and IKF had two hits. Nick Solak had three hits and Nate Lowe had one hit.
• Josh Sborz had a four seamer at 98.9 mph, which is kind of wild because he had only two other pitches above 97 mph. Ian Kennedy hit 96.1 mph. Kyle Gibson reached 93.9 mph, while John King topped out at 93.8 mph.
• Joey Gallo’s home run was 108.3 mph off the bat. Nate Lowe was 106.3 mph. IKF was 102.2 mph on a single. Adolis Garcia had a lineout at 101.3, and Khris Davis had a groundout at 100.3.
• I have to say, I prefer doing these after wins as compared to after losses. Losses suck. Wins are the opposite of suck. So let’s have more wins.