Thoughts on an 8-5 Rangers win

Rangers 8, Royals 5

• That was quite a game.
• I’ve been thinking about what to write about this game for a while, and still don’t really know what to say. Largely because there is so much that went on, so much to potentially point to or talk about, it is overwhelming.
• Jacob deGrom...ho hum. Seven innings, 9 Ks, no walks, seven hits, two runs. Okay outing, I guess.
• One of those runs was courtesy of a couple of balls in the fourth inning that fell in despite looking like they were, or would be, caught, one in left field, one in right field. It wasn’t always the most sterling defense being played behind deGrom.
• The bullpen, which had been excellent all season, was handed a 4-2 lead to protect in the 8th, which it failed to do. Jonathan Hernandez came into the game, faced three batters, went single-walk-single, and was yanked, with Will Smith coming in with two on, no one out, and a one run lead.
• Smith got a fly ball to right that Adolis Garcia got a weird read on, ended up having to catch going backwards, putting him in a bad position to try to throw back into the infield, with the result being that both runners advanced. An intentional walk loaded the bases. Danger lurked behind every corner.
• The suspense!
• Smith fanned the next two batters to end the inning, and expressed some sort of emotion after the second K. We could breath easy again.
• At least, until the ninth. Smith allowed a leadoff single and was pulled for Jose Leclerc. Walk, fly ball, single, and it was a tie game. Blown save for Jose Leclerc. Tears and angst all around the Shed.
• The Zombie Runner scored in the top of the 10th due to a pair of fly balls. Those sorts of Zombie Runner runs are always the most upsetting. I was ready to be angry about a loss in that fashion.
• Not to fear, though. Adolis had a two out single to tie the game in the bottom of the tenth. Josh Jung walked. And then Jonah Heim walked it off with the momentum-shifting two out, three run home run.
• All hail Heim!
• Like I said, a lot of stuff happened. Corey Seager hit a ball the other way into a left field area abandoned by the Royals, who had shifted to put an outfielder in shallow right field at the expense of covering left, and appeared to be bound for a triple before he pulled up lame. He is likely out for a while. And he is currently slashing .359/.469/.538, which makes it all the more upsetting.
• Josh Jung had a pair of hits and a pair of walks. He’s up to .263/.333/.474, which we would all take.
• Brad Miller got a hit, and I know we all enjoy it when that happens.
• Travis Jankowski and Bubba Thompson each went 0 for 4. It was fun while it lasted, though.
• Jacob deGrom topped out at 101.2 mph with his fastball, averaging 99.1 mph. Jonathan Hernandez hit 98.9 mph with his sinker. Will Smith touched 94.6 mph. Jose Leclerc reached 95.5 mph, while Cole Ragans maxed out at 96.7 mph.
• Josh Smith had a line out that was 109.8 mph off the bat — the hardest hit ball of the game. Adolis Garcia’s 10th inning game tying single was 106.4 mph, and he had a 101.2 mph ground out. Josh Jung had a 102.0 mph fly out, as well as a 99.8 mph double. Travis Jankowski had a 101.8 mph ground out. Nathaniel Lowe had a 100.4 mph fly out. Jonah Heim’s home run was 100.3 mph.
• The first place Texas Rangers now look to go for the sweep.