Thoughts on a 2-0 Rangers win

Rangers 2, Mariners 0

• Ah, the stresses of a playoff race. And of close games in a playoff race.
• Jordan Montgomery was matched up against Logan Gilbert and was masterful, going seven shutout innings. Just five hits and two walks allowed by Montgomery, who struck out six. Montgomery mixed his pitches well, using his sinker, change and curveball in roughly equal amounts, while mixing in his four seamer from time to time as well.
• Seven swings and misses on his change, five on his curve, three ln his fastball. A terrific outing.
• He did get a little fortunate on a fourth inning blast by Dylan Moore to dead center field, a ball that hit the very top of the fence. I’d say it was inches from going out, but it may have been more like an inch. What seemed like it would be a game-tying homer ended up being a double, with Moore stranded at second.
• Jose Leclerc did work. After a quick 1-2-3 eighth, Leclerc came back out for the ninth, fanned Eugenio Suarez, then gave up a single to J.P. France.
• Aroldis Chapman, who Bruce Bochy had said he wanted to stay away from, was warming. Righthanded hitting Moore was due up, but lefty Jarred Kelenic was on the bench. Jonah Heim went to the mound and there was stalling and dicking around, before finally Kelenic was announced as the pinch hitter, allowing Bochy to go get Chapman for the lefty-lefty matchup.
• The matchup didn’t go well. Chapman was called for a pitch clock violation on the first pitch, and ended up walking Kelenic. On a 1-1 pitch, Sam Haggerty looped a ball to center that looked like it might drop in, but Leody Taveras made the catch coming in. And then pinch hitter Luis Torrens smoked a ball just to the shortstop side of second base that Corey Seager fielded cleanly and threw to first to get Torrens and end the game.
• Chapman was not right. Aside from command issues, his fastball, sinker and slider were all down about four mph from his season average on those pitches. It worked out, but this is a concern, and Bruce Bochy may have to be cautious about using Chapman on back to back nights.
• Both runs were scored by Adolis Garcia. Mitch Garver singled him home once, Jonah Heim singled him home once. Other than an Evan Carter double, there was little else of note offensively.
• I will say that of note defensively was Josh Jung’s glove work. He continues to exceed expectations at the hot corner.
• That was tense and nerve wracking and scary. But it all worked out.
• Jordan Montgomery topped out at 92.4 mph with his fastball. Jose Leclerc hit 97.8 mph with his fastball. Aroldis Chapman topped out at 97.5 mph with his fastball.
• Nathaniel Lowe had a 105.5 mph grounder that went for a GIDP. Corey Seager had a 104.9 mph single. Evan Carter had a 104.0 mph double and a 102.4 mph ground out.
• Texas is 1.5 games up on Houston in the West, and 2 up on Seattle. Eight games to go.