Rangers Beat Angels
via Texas Rangers
ARLINGTON — It hasn’t been an easy season for the Rangers. But Thursday night’s 8-6 win over the Angels should give the team a reason to be happy.
Texas rallied from an early five-run deficit to win with a four-run rally in the eighth inning. With veteran Adrian Beltre battling a left hamstring injury, it was the team’s young players that led the way.
“I think this game is indicative of this group of players,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “They never hang their heads. They’re never out of a game. They’re going to continue to come after you.”
With runners on first and second and no outs in the eighth, Joey Gallo doubled in a run to cut the Rangers’ deficit to 6-5. After a walk loaded the bases, Angels reliever Justin Anderson found his control and struck out Ronald Guzman and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. However, Shin-Soo Choo drew a walk on five pitches, plating the tying run.
Rougned Odor then drove in the go-ahead run in the next at-bat, legging out an infield single on a play in which he was originally called out. A replay review overturned the call and gave the Rangers a 7-6 lead.
Jurickson Profar, Beltre’s replacement at third base, was a big reason why the Rangers were in position to rally. He had two hits, including a home run, and scored a pair of runs.
But Profar’s biggest impact came on defense. With the Rangers down 6-3 in the fourth, the Angels had the bases loaded and David Fletcher at the plate with no outs. Fletcher hit a ground ball to Profar, who stepped on third, tagged Taylor Ward, who was leaning off of third base, and threw to Odor at second for a forceout to complete a historic triple play.
• This Rangers triple play was so weird that nobody even knew if it really happened
“I think that was the play that changed the game, because after that, we started coming back, and turned around the score,” Rangers starter Ariel Jurado said. “It gave us a chance to win.”
Jurado allowed six runs in six innings, but none after the second. He allowed five straight singles to open the game, leading to a five-run inning, and then gave up a leadoff homer to Kole Calhoun in the second.
“He really didn’t have the feel [of his sinker] in the first,” Banister said. “We wanted to give him an opportunity to go back out and see if he could regain the feel for it. He did give up the home run to Calhoun on a ball that seemed elevated, but he did continue to get better as the game progressed.”
Matt Moore earned the win with two scoreless innings. It was Moore’s second straight relief appearance in which he did not allow a run after he posted a 6.38 ERA in his 11 previous games since being moved to the bullpen in mid-June.
“His stuff was sharp,” Banister said. “His fastball was sharp. His curveball was sharp. He did a great job.”
Jose Leclerc earned the save, working around a leadoff double for a scoreless ninth.
