The Rangers got off to a great start in this Final Seventeen against the elite teams. They won two of three against Tampa Bay. It looked like they were going to end this on a high note.

Then they were swept in three at home against Oakland. Then swept in two in Houston, losing all nine games in Houston this season.

That’s 2-6 so far. What’s encouraging is, they are playing these games hard. They aren’t giving up. They’ve been in most of them. But, bless their hearts, they just don’t have the manpower. They are going into battle with a butter knife.

Kolby Allard had another strong start, giving up just two earned in five innings, although he did walk four. 

Willie Calhoun picked up two more hits. Solak broke out of his mini-slump with a single. Guzman continues having a nice last season flourish after being called up. 

But against Garrit Cole, it was a case of not enough. Texas struck out eleven times tonight to put Cole over the 300 threshold. It isn’t true that all of those were against the Rangers. It just seems that way.

So how the Rangers head to Oakland where nobody wants to be, not even people from Oakland.

Last road trip.

All good things have to come to an end. Even all not-all-that-impressive 32-46 road record things.

*****

NO GAME TODAY.