Thoughts on a 2-0 Rangers loss

A’s 2, Rangers 0

• That was a disappointment.
• Jordan Montgomery’s second start for the Rangers was a Quality Start, as he went six innings and allowed just two runs. He probably didn’t have his A Game, but he still was plenty good enough and did his job.
• Chris Stratton pitched a couple of shutout innings in relief, giving the Rangers a full game from their two just acquired former Cardinals pitchers.
• The well pitched game was wasted, though, as the Ranger offense did very little. Just four hits on the day, half of them coming in a ninth inning rally that saw Josh Smith come up as the tying run. Smith lined out to end the game, on a ball that Statcast pegged as a .490 xBA ball in play.
• Smith doubled earlier in the game, for the Rangers only extra base hit.
• Texas didn’t hit well overall. They also had some bad luck on balls in play — of their three “barrels” on the day, two were by Nathaniel Lowe, and each went for an out. Not a great combo.
• There was some carping on Twitter about this being a “give up” lineup. Of the four guys on the bench, two were Jonathan Ornelas and Austin Hedges, who I don’t think anyone was clamoring to see in the lineup. Mitch Garver got a day off in a day game following a night game which he caught, and at a time when he’s been carrying a very heavy workload while Jonah Heim has been out. And Corey Seager, still nursing his bad thumb, had a planned day off, with the Rangers trying to manage his injury.
• I don’t really think it’s unreasonable for the two to have sat today. Garver did pinch hit, and struck out. Seager didn’t pinch hit, and maybe he should have in the ninth — maybe he would have if Smith had gotten on base, with Ezequiel Duran due up next.
• Still, these games happen. Just have to accept this was a bad game for the offense and move on.
• Jordan Montgomery’s top velocity was a 94.7 mph sinker, averaging 93.0 mph. Chris Stratton’s fastball hit 94.2 mph.
• Nathaniel Lowe had a 110.4 mph lineout and a 100.9 mph fly out. Sam Huff had a 108.0 mph single. Josh Smith had a 105.3 mph double. Marcus Semien had a 100.6 mph force out. Travis Jankowski had a 100.5 mph lineout.
• So the win streak is over, but the Rangers have still won 8 of their last 9. An off day Thursday before a three game set at the Giants.