Thoughts on a 6-0 Rangers win

Rangers 6, Marlins 0

• For those of you keeping track at home, that is two shutouts in a row for your defending World Champion Texas Rangers.
• In case you are curious, this is tied for the fourth longest shutout streak in Rangers history. The last time they did it was in 2016, when Cole Hamels, Matt Bush and Sam Dyson combined for a shutout against the A’s on September 23, and then Yu Darvish, Alex Claudio, Tanner Scheppers, and Jake Diekman combined for a shutout of the A’s the following day.
• Those are some names that take you back, aren’t they?
• The longest shutout streak in Rangers history was from April 27, 1981, through April 30, 1981. Texas shut out Boston in three straight, then shut out the Kansas City Royals for number four. Games 1, 3 and 4 four in the streak were CGSOs by Doc Medich, Danny Darwin and Rick Honeycutt. Game 2 featured Fergie Jenkins for three innings, followed by the legendary Steve Comer for 3.2 innings and the even more legendary Bob Babcock for 2.1 innings.
• Texas had three shutouts in a row in July, 2011, with Matt Harrison, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis as the starters, and Neftali Feliz picking up saves in two of the games. The first was against Oakland at home, the next two were in Seattle.
• The other time the Rangers had three straight shutouts was in May, 2008. And you know what’s crazy? The first two were in Seattle, and the third was against Oakland at home.
• Wacky, huh?
• The starters in 2008 were Vicente Padilla, Kason Gabbard and Scott Feldman. Those are not the first three names that would come to mind in guessing who the starting pitchers in one of the longest consecutive shutout streaks in Rangers history would be.
• Andrew Heaney did his thing quite well, throwing his fastball about half the time and his slider and changeup about 25% of the time apiece. He generated 17 whiffs on 94 pitches — five apiece on his fastball and changeup and seven on his slider. Of the 15 hacks that the Marlins took at Heaney’s slider, they only put a ball in play once. Now, it was the hardest hit ball of the game for the Marlins, but it was a 106.2 mph grounder that went for an out, so that’s fine.
• Its always a positive sign when the Rangers have a big enough lead that Bruce Bochy feels comfortable using Grant Anderson in the ninth.
• Just to be clear, Bruce Bochy used Grant Anderson in the ninth in this game, with the Rangers ahead.
• Josh Smith and Adolis Garcia each had two hit games, with Adolis homering, and that’s hopefully a sign that Adolis is getting out of his recent slump.
• Nathaniel Lowe was on the bench for the second straight day against a lefty starter, but he had a pinch hit single in the ninth, which is good for him, and he came around and scored a run.
• Wyatt Langford did not get a hit in his four plate appearances, which is unfortunate, but he stung a couple of balls that could/should have been hits, and he only struck out once.
• Did you remember Derek Hill was on the team? Me neither. But Hill came in for defensive purposes in place of Langford in the bottom of the eighth.
• Andrew Heaney touched 93.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 91.6 mph. Jacob Latz reached 96.1 mph with his fastball. David Robertson threw one sinker that was 94.7 mph. Grant Anderson’s fastball hit 93.8 mph.
• Wyatt Langford had a 109.7 mph ground out and a 104.2 mph fly out, and both of those outs had expected batting averages over .600. Adolis Garcia’s home run was 108.2 mph, and he had a 104.4 mph line out. Corey Seager had a 107.1 mph ground out and a 106.0 mph single. Leody Taveras had a 104.8 mph single and a 100.2 mph line out. Marcus Semien had a 101.8 mph single. Josh Smith had a 101.0 mph single. Ezequiel Duran had a 100.9 mph line out.
• Texas has a chance to get back to .500 on Monday against the Motor City Kitties. Let’s all think positive “getting back to .500” thoughts.