That one was wild. 71 comments


Dog pile on the new guy. New catcher Jose Trevino, a new father and new hero for the Rangers with a two-run game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth, gets mobbed by his teammates.

 

The Rangers started a guy with an ERA of 30.86.

The Rockies bullpen is the worst in baseball.

Yes, there was going to be offense. A lot of it. Early, late and often.

Fortunately for the Rangers, and Rangers fans, it was often and late, as they scored twelve runs in the final four innings to punctuate a wild, come-from-behind, last-inning win.

All it took was a little patience.

Wade Davis, the former All-Star reliever for the Royals and now the struggling closer for the Rockies, has been a train wreck of late.

The Rangers bullpen hasn’t been all the special either lately, starting to show signs of wear and tear and overuse. And, when you throw out a new arm every inning, you only increase the odds of one of those arms not being on.

Gallardo was as advertised, allowing five runs in five innings, which is about all he was ever able to go his first time around as a Ranger.

He left when the Rockies led 5-1. But the game was just getting started. Actually, the boxing match was.

The Rangers struck for five to take a one-run lead. Then the Rockies counter punched with five to make it 10-6.

Then the Rangers picked up three more to close the gap to 10-9. The Rockies counter punched those with two runs of their own to make it 12-9 going into the bottom of the ninth.

The Rockies bullpen had given up three runs. The Rangers, seven.

Then out came Wade Davis, who seems to have a restraining order against the strike zone. He needs to stay ten inches away from it all all times.

The Rangers would have been better served not taking a bat to the plate with them to avoid the temptation of swinging at something.

DeShields worked the count to 3-2 and drew a walk. So did Mazara. Profar took it to 2-2 and swung at ball three and flew out to left.

Odor swung at ball three and singled to load the bases.

Then it was just a matter of watching Davis unravel. He had no idea where his pitches were going to end up once they left his hand. A few were actually closer to the strike zone of the ballpark under construction than the strike zone in the current Ballpark.

He walked Kiner-Falefa to make it 12-10. He walked Gallo to make it 12-11. He had rookie catcher Jose Trevino 3-1 and threw a pitch that was four inches high that Trevino swung and missed. The next pitch, he connected with. He dropped a single into no-man’s land in left to score two and give the Rangers a four-run comeback rally in the bottom of the ninth.

It was one of the best games of the season. And, really, one of those great games that reminds you of how great the game can be.

This scrappy bunch hung in, didn’t fold, and took the walks when they were given. And there were plenty given.

Now the Rangers have a two-game wining streak. They have confidence. They head to Kansas City to play the struggling Royals.  And they have a new hero in Jose Trevino.

If they can just get the Royals to bring back Wade Davis for this series.

*****
TONIGHT’S GAME:

Bartolo Colon (3-4, 4.94 ERA) vs. Ian Kennedy (1-6, 5.13)
Game time: 7:15

How the Rangers hit against Kennedy.
How the Royals hit against Colon.