Thoughts on a 2-0 Rangers loss

Orioles 2, Rangers 0

• On the plus side, at least the Rangers didn’t get no hit.
• A scoring decision in the second inning saved Texas from that ignominy. Josh Jung hit a chopper down the third base line that Gunnar Henderson made a nice play to backhand, but then made a poor throw, resulting in Jung reaching base. It could have been called an error, but Jung was given a single. Had the same play occurred with a no hitter going in the seventh or eighth, maybe the scorer makes a different decision, but in the second inning it was a hit — the only hit the Rangers had all day.
• The Rangers also drew just one walk on the day, a second inning walk by Robbie Grossman the followed the Jung single. That is less than ideal.
• Following the Jung single and Grossman walk, Jonah Heim smoked a ball back up the middle that off the bat led one to hope it would be an RBI single. That wasn’t the case, though — the ball caromed off Oriole starter Kyle Bradish’s foot and resulted in Heim being retired and Bradish leaving the game. Brad Miller struck out against reliever Daniel Coulombe, and that was it as far as Ranger rallies on the day went.
• Coulombe hit Josh Smith in the face with a pitch to lead off the bottom of the third, leading Smith to exit the game and go to the hospital for CT scans, which apparently came back clean.
• The offensive ineptitude overshadowed a very solid start from Jon Gray. 6.1 IP, four hits, two walks, seven Ks. Unfortunately, two of the four hits were home runs.
• Cole Ragans was tapped for the middle relief role once Gray left the game and threw 1.2 scoreless, with a pair of walks against a pair of Ks.
• Most notable, though, was the 2023 debut of Ian Kennedy. I have been less than enthused about him being in the bullpen, mainly because he hasn’t been particularly good the last few years, but he was excellent in his inning of work against the Orioles. He struck out the side, and most notably, generated four swings and misses on his changeup. If his changeup can be a weapon, the outlook on Kennedy changes for 2023.
• Jon Gray hit 96.0 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.8 mph. Cole Ragans touched 97.1 mph on his fastball. Ian Kennedy topped out at 93.2 mph.
• Ezequiel Duran has the hardest hit ball of the night, though it was a groundout at 107.0 mph. Jonah Heim had a 104.0 mph lineout. Adolis Garcia had groundouts at 102.5 mph and 100.0 mph. Corey Seager had a 101.2 mph groundout.
• Texas will not finish the year 162-0. A moment of silence for the thoughts of a perfect season.