Rangers Beat D-backs

via Texas Rangers

PHOENIX — Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo found his home run swing against the D-backs on Monday, just one day after striking out four times against the Astros.

Choo has been playing too long to let one bad game bother him, and he showed that by hitting two home runs to power the Rangers to an 9-5 victory over the D-backs at Chase Field. Rougned Odor also homered, as Texas won its fourth straight game.

“Choo has been through these situations before,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “He’s not going to let it get to him. He really found a rhythm with his swing.”



Choo had been in a mini-funk entering Monday’s game, but he gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead over the D-backs in the fifth with a three-run home run off left-hander Robbie Ray. The opposite-field shot had an exit velocity of 100.8 mph, according to Statcast™, and was Choo’s first home run since July 15.

“Everybody is not going to feel good with four strikeouts in a game,” Choo said. “But I’ve played so long, I don’t want to feel anything negative. You really go into slumps when you start thinking negative. I know I was going good in the first half and I knew this was coming.”

Then in the eighth, Choo gave the Rangers an insurance run with a solo home run off right-handed reliever Matt Andriese, giving him his 10th career multi-homer game.

Prior to Monday, Choo’s last home run came during his club-record 52-game on-base streak, which ended on July 21. He came to the plate in the fifth with just four hits in his last 36 at-bats, including four strikeouts on Sunday afternoon against the Astros.

The home run off Ray was his 19th of the season but just his second off a left-handed pitcher. Choo’s other home run off a southpaw was against Kansas City’s Eric Skoglund on May 25. The home run off Andriese put him at the 20-home run level for the sixth time in his career.

“I am not a home run hitter,” Choo said. “I never think about home runs. Home runs just come. I’m focused on getting on base. I try to hit the ball hard, but I don’t try to hit home runs.”

The Rangers had 12 hits on the night, including a three-hit game by catcher Robinson Chirinos. He is 14-for-45 with three home runs in his last 12 games.

 




 

Share and Enjoy !

Shares