Thoughts on a 10-6 Rangers win

Rangers 10, Tigers 6

• Welcome to the Show, Grant Anderson.
• That was quite a major league debut for the unheralded righthanded reliever who was with the Round Rock Express just a few days ago. Asked to bail out Martin Perez, who struggled with his command all game and was pulled with two outs in the fifth and six runs in, Grant Anderson came up huge. With the tying run on second, Anderson fell behind 2-0 to pinch hitter Zach McKinstry before coming back and striking him out swinging on a 3-2 pitch. Rally quashed.
• That would have been enough right there for a successful debut, but Anderson wasn’t finished. Sent back out for the bottom of the sixth, Anderson struck out Jake Rogers looking and Akil Baddoo and Javy Baez swinging. If you lost track, that is four Ks to the first four batters Anderson faced in his major league career. Bally’s Sports said Anderson is just the sixth pitcher since 1974 to strike out the first four batters faced in his major league career.
• But wait! Anderson still wasn’t finished! Sent back out for the seventh, Anderson went 1-2-3 with two more strike outs. Seven up, seven down for Anderson in his major league debut!
• And he still wasn’t done! Anderson was sent back out for the eighth and struck out Jonathan Schoop — his seventh K of the game, and eight straight batter retired. Anderson finally proved to be mortal against Miguel Cabrera, who singled off of him, ending Anderson’s night. Cole Ragans got the final two outs of the eighth, and Will Smith finished things out in the ninth.
• Anderson’s solid work, combined with Perez not going five innings, meant Anderson got the “W” in his major league debut. It came in win #35 on the season for the first place Texas Rangers.
• I guess it is all downhill from here for Anderson, huh?
• You know, whenever some rookie just up from the minors does pitching wizardry against Texas out of nowhere, we always lament that this never happens for the Rangers. Tonight it did, and it was pretty awesome.
• Oh, yeah, and Texas scored a crapload of runs again. That happens sometimes, I’ve noticed.
• They even came from behind, overcoming a 3-1 deficit to make it a 4-3 game, then re-took the lead when Detroit tied it back up at 4. That’s some resilience, I think they call it.
• The team’s two .300 hitters, Corey Seager and Leody Taveras, each went 0 for 5 on the day despite the big outburst. I think Alanis Morrisette wrote a song about it. (Wrote a song about it — want to hear it here it goes)
• Marcus Semien only had one hit, but that was all he needed to extend his hitting streak to 19 games. That’s a career high. Only 37 more to go to catch Mr. Marilyn Monroe.
• The big damage was done by the middle of the lineup. A four hit game for Adolis Garcia. Josh Jung falling a triple short of a cycle. Nathaniel Lowe and Jonah Heim with a pair of hits apiece.
• Heim also had a walk. He was slumping before getting a pair of days off with Thursday’s off day and Friday’s Sandy Leon start. He’s been back in a groove since then.
• This season has been pretty fun so far, huh?
• Martin Perez topped out at 94.0 mph. Grant Anderson reached 93.4 mph with his sinker. Cole Ragans hit 97.8 mph. Will Smith’s fastball touched 92.9 mph.
• Adolis Garcia had singles at 111.9 mph and 100.6 mph. Jonah Heim had a 107.0 mph single, a 101.8 mph double and a 100.7 mph ground out. Josh Jung’s home run was 106.7 mph. Corey Seager had a pair of outs at 103.8 mph and 103.7 mph. Robbie Grossman had a 106.2 mph lineout. Nathaniel Lowe had a 102.6 mph groundout.
• This has been quite a successful road trip. Let’s take the finale Wednesday afternoon and come home on a high.