Thoughts on a 4-3 Rangers win

Rangers 4, Astros 3

• The Rangers actually won a game and broke their losing streak.
• And it was a one run game, at that. Will wonders never cease?
• Glenn Otto started but was done after four innings, needing 80 pitches to get through 19 batters, due in large part to the Astros’ success in fouling off pitches against him (20 in all). Five Ks, one walk, but just seven swinging strikes on the game.
• All three Astros runs came off of Otto, though one was unearned, coming as a result of a single/passed ball/stolen base/ground out sequence. So there’s that.
• Another run was on a Jose Altuve home run down the right field line that was reviewed for possible interference, but ended up being upheld. Per Statcast, the expected batting average on that fly ball was .110. So, good job, Jose.
• The bullpen had one of its good days, with Taylor Hearn throwing a pair of shutout innings before turning things over to Jesus Tinoco in the seventh. He retired two batters along with giving up a hit and a walk before being lifted for Matt Moore, who got Kyle Tucker to end the inning. Moore finished out the eighth, Jose Leclerc sandwiched a pair of weak pop ups around a Jose Altuve walk before getting Yordan Alvarez to ground out to end the game, and everyone could then celebrate.
• The Rangers didn’t do much offensively, but it ended up being enough. The bottom of the order generated three runs in the second when they started the inning with a Mark Mathis leadoff walk, followed by a Leody Taveras single, an Ezequiel Duran two run double, and then an infield single by Sam Huff that included a throwing error that allowed Duran to score.
• What was ultimately the winning run scored in the seventh on a two out wild pitch by Framber Valdez that allowed Corey Seager, who had reached on an E3, to score. Wackiness!
• Nathaniel Lowe continues to hit, picking up a couple of singles to raise his slash line to .304/.357/.500. Mark Mathias drew a pair of walks, as he continues to be unexpectedly productive. Leody Taveras had a couple of hits, which is nice.
• Glenn Otto hit 94.6 mph with his sinker. Taylor Hearn topped out at 97.5 mph. Jesus Tinoco touched 97.3 mph. Matt Moore maxed out at 94.3 mph. Jose Leclerc hit 97.4 mph.
• Leody Taveras had a 112.9 mph single. Nathaniel Lowe had a 111.7 mph single. Ezequiel Duran had a double with an exit velocity of 105.7 mph. Adolis Garcia had a 103.6 mph flyout. Marcus Semien had a 100.7 mph groundout. Bubba Thompson had a 100.6 mph flyout.
• A win. That was nice. Maybe we can have some more of those.