By Alex Al-Kazzaz
The Texas Rangers are returning home for a four-game series against the Houston Astros. Texas is coming off a good road trip in Tampa Bay, taking two games out of three against the Rays. Texas felt reminiscent of last season's wildcard spell in Tampa when the Rangers swept the Rays and had the most unique and remarkable playoff run and World Series triumph.
Unfortunately, the Rangers will be without 3B Josh Jung for a significant amount of time. In Texas' 9-3 win on Monday, Jung was hit by a bitch, and suffered a broken wrist. Jung has undergone surgery and is expected to be out for 8-10 weeks. With Jung injured, the Rangers called up their No. 5 prospect, Justin Foscue, from Triple-A Round Rock. Jung has been placed on the 10-day injured list.
Game One was just another stress-free day at the office. Dane Dunning took the mound, going 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, striking out seven batters. The bullpen went on to pitch a shut-out, and the bats were hot. Corey Seager, Evan Carter, and Jung each scored two runs. It's always fun to see Adolis Garcia blast a homer. Jung hit a homer, and he went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Although the bats had a good day, they did leave seven runners stranded. On a positive note, only four Texas batters were struck out.
Game Two wasn't necessarily bad, although the Rangers didn't win. The batting couldn't produce good results, and Seager, Marcus Semien, and Garcia going for a combined 1-for-11 didn't lead to a win, but it only proves that nobody can have a good game every day. However, the eight strikeouts and seven runners left stranded sting the team a little. The offense finishing 7-for-34 rubs salt into the wound.
Andrew Heaney pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out seven batters. Heaney's reliever allowed two runs on two hits, which was all Tampa needed. Jacob Latz closed it out, going 2.0 innings, allowing no runs and one hit and striking out one batter. Texas did erase a 5-0 deficit by scoring two runs, but Tampa denied them a come-from-behind rally.
Game Three's highlight is highly debatable. Corey Seager's first home run of the season or Nathan Eovaldi striking out eight batters in seven full innings? Jose Leclerc successfully closed the game out, if that's also considered a highlight. Ten hits and ten strikeouts for the batting lineup? Not too bad, as their four runs scored were enough to get the win. Eovaldi did his part along with the bullpen. Leclerc was able to hold and finish despite allowing one run and giving the Rays a chance to tie in the ninth and possibly win. At one point in the bottom of the ninth, the Rays had two runners on base with one out, and Leclerc and the defense miraculously avoided a humiliating collapse.
The Rangers are nowhere near a safe spot in the American League West standings. Texas is 4-2, as are the Los Angeles Angels. With the Houston Astros coming to Arlington, the Rangers can't afford to lose this series. It's still very early, but the Rangers can't afford to fall behind in the early going.
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)