Thoughts on an 8-0 Rangers win

Rangers 8, White Sox 0

• Scoring early and often seems like a good strategy.
• Of course, allowing just one hit in seven innings of work is also a good strategy, and that is what Dane Dunning did today.
• Yoan Moncada reached on a two out infield single in the second. Eloy Jimenez drew one out walk in the fourth. And that was it as far as baserunners against Dane Dunning went.
• Dunning needed just 103 pitches to get through the seven innings, striking out six and generating 12 swings and misses. He went primarily with his sinker/slider combo, mixing in some cutters and change ups, and Chicago could do nothing with him.
• Taylor Hearn had two impressive innings to finish out the game, striking out four, and allowed just a lone baserunner, on a two out ninth inning not terribly well hit double by Yasmani Grandal.
• The play before that was a groundout by Tim Anderson. It was close but he was called out. Tony LaRussa decided to challenge the call. In the ninth inning, down eight runs.
• Good ol’ TLR.
• Yasmani Grandal also featured in a bit of drama with Josh Smith. Smith struck out to end a seventh inning that saw the Rangers take their lead from comfortable to blowout. On his backswing, he hit Grandal in what looked like the mask. As the players were leaving the field, Grandal apparently said something to Smith. Smith stopped and turned back and responded, and benches started to clear, but nothing happened, and everyone sat back down.
• The Rangers actually scored more runs than they had hits — they picked up just seven hits on the day, the first being a third inning Ezequiel Duran home run that ended up being all the scoring they would need.
• The Rangers did draw six walks, including two apiece by Nathaniel Lowe and Corey Seager, and one by Meibrys Viloria, who also had a pair of hits. Viloria has been surprisingly not terrible offensively in his limited opportunities since being called up to back up Jonah Heim.
• Adolis Garcia was responsible for (does math real quick) 62.5% of the Rangers runs today, driving in two with a two out third inning single, and then three more in that big seventh inning on a bases loaded double.
• It was a fun, relaxing game. When you score a few runs early and your starting pitcher doesn’t allow runners to reach base, there’s not much opportunity to get tense.
• Dane Dunning touched 92.3 mph with his sinker, which is better than usual for him. Taylor Hearn maxed out at 96.9 mph with his fastball.
• Ezequiel Duran’s home run was 103.1 mph off the bat. Adolis Garcia had a double at 107.0 mph and a single at 105.6 mph. Meibrys Viloria had a pair of singles at 101.7 mph and 100.6 mph. Corey Seager had a 100.6 mph single.
• And now to try to win the series, on a Sunday.