The Texas Rangers scored two runs while the Anaheim Angels scored five runs.
Before winning tonight against the Rangers, the Angels had only won two games in a row once since April 17. Even then, you’d still have to go back to the first week of this month when they won two in a row against the Chicago White Sox for the last scant winning streak for the Orange County squad.
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It’s not like the Rangers are putting together many winning streaks of their own, though. It’s pretty much been win one, lose one for this team for like 900 consecutive days. The treadmill of mediocrity continues only now with the guarantee of a series loss in Anaheim this weekend.
Other trends for Texas that just won’t die? Let’s check the list:
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First inning runs leading to early deficits – ✓
The Rangers trailed 2-0 after the first two Anaheim batters. They raised their unsightly first inning ERA to 7.02 on the year.
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Bases loaded opportunities that die without runs scored – ✓
Texas left ‘em loaded in the third, fifth, and eighth innings with Jake Burger striking out to end the first two chances and a bases loaded, one out situation that ended without the tying run scoring.
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Inability to produce with RISP – ✓
The Rangers and Angels each had eight hits but Texas scored on just one hit with RISP in eleven chances while leaving eleven on base.
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Doing exactly enough to lose, and not enough to win – ✓
Despite tonight’s starter Nathan Eovaldi giving up two runs before collecting an out, he allowed just one run afterward over his seven innings of work. Despite scoring six runs last night only to lose 9-6, tonight six runs would have easily rescued Eovaldi from a loss but Texas went back to being unable to plate enough runs in a low-scoring game that the Angels put away with a couple of insurance runs the inning after Eovaldi exited.
The Rangers came into this series playing nearly inarguably the worst team in the American League with a golden opportunity to surge ahead of the .500 mark. Instead, they will leave it worse off than when they arrived and will need a win tomorrow in the finale or they’ll find themselves swept out of Anaheim.
Player of the Game: Maybe it’s Eovaldi but if you’re mad at him for the first inning runs, maybe it’s Alejandro Osuna. The Texas left fielder had three hits in his three at-bats tonight but was lifted by Skip Schumaker in one of his big brain pinch hitting maneuvers where Andrew McCutchen was called on to hit against a left-handed reliever with the tying run at second base in the top of the seventh
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The Angels brought in a right-handed reliever to face McCutchen, and McCutchen struck out looking on this pitch:
Up Next: The Rangers and Angels close out this series with Texas turning to a starter they have not yet named while Anaheim will opt for LHP Reid Detmers.
The first pitch in Saturday’s finale from Angels Stadium is scheduled for 6:20 pm CDT and will be aired on Peacock.
