Ariel Jurado tosses six innings of shutout baseball in a 2-0 win over the Mariners.

Wait, was that legal? You’re allowed to hold the other team to no runs?

After checking the rule book and reviewing it with the league office in New York, the Rangers game was officially sanctioned.

It appears that’s what’s called “pitching.” And that is what a well-pitched game looks like.

And it appears the Rangers may have found their next pitching coach.

Before the game, Bartolo Colon suggested to Ariel Jurado that he mix a four-seam fastball in with his sinker. The sinker was his go-to pitch. But it was more like go to the showers, because, according to T. R. Sullivan of mlb.com, opponents were hitting .362 against Jurado’s sinker before last night.

But he took Colon’s advice. And it worked. Wonders. He threw six innings of shutout baseball against the Seattle Mariners, allowing just two hits, walking none, and striking out three.

It’s just one game. And it was against the Mariners, who have fallen off the face of the earth since Robinson Cano returned. So you can’t put too much stock in that. Especially when you realize Matt Moore threw a scoreless inning. So maybe last night was just a fluke. Maybe the baseball gods have fallen asleep.

In the end, the Rangers had one of their best pitched games of the season. A 2-0, three-hit shutout from four combined pitchers. And not a single home run. Both runs scored in what is called a “rally.”

Game 159 of the season. The Rangers finally figured out baseball. These next three games are going to be amazing.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Martin Perez (2-6, 6.13) vs. Wade LeBlanc (8-5, 3.55)
Game time: 9:10

How the Rangers hit against LeBlanc.
How the Mariners hit against Perez.