39-71 - One run is not enough as Rangers lose opener 4-1 to A’s in 11

The Texas Rangers scored once but the Oakland Athletics scored four times as many as that after 11 innings.

At some point as Mike Foltynewicz was allowing his gibillionth home run in his first start after the All-Star break in Buffalo, it seemed like a player who knew his time in the big leagues was coming to an end and he was just going through the motions.

Folty followed that game by allowing three more bombs against Detroit in his next start and got the dreaded vote of confidence from the org that Texas wasn’t ready to move on and further destabilize the rotation.

However, the Rangers meant that and it’s possible that knowing definitively that he wasn’t going anywhere was the boost that he needed as for the first time since May 23 — spanning 11 starts — Folty didn’t give up a dinger against Seattle last week.

Tonight Folty didn’t give up a dinger to Oakland, either. With his newly discovered ability to keep the ball in the ballpark, Folty ultimately had a really nice outing as he allowed just one run on two hits with three walks and a couple of strikeouts.

Unfortunately the Rangers did that thing that they do at the Coliseum where they didn’t do much offensively (including going 1-for-14 with RISP) and Folty’s effort was all for naught as Starling Marte hit the three-run, walk-off winner in the 11th inning.

The Rangers are now a season-worst 32 games below .500.

Player of the Game: Besides Folty, Isiah Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with the lone RBI for Texas. Also, Yonny Hernandez got his first big league hit and played some stellar ball at second base.

Up Next: The Rangers and A’s are back at it tomorrow with RHP Drew Anderson set to make the second start of his career — and first with Texas — against LHP Cole Irvin for Oakland. First pitch from Oakland Coliseum is scheduled for 3:07 pm CT.