A welcome trend.


Wyatt Langford is all smiles after smashing a grand slam in the eighth.

Friday night, in the fifth inning, the Rangers had bases loaded. That in itself wasn’t unusual.

Marcus Semien, though, did something that was highly unusual. He doubled. And for only the second time—the second time—in 2024, the Texas Rangers got an extra-base hit with the bases loaded.

That’s seventy-five games into the season and the Rangers got only their second extra-base hit with bases loaded. No other stat could better convey the offensive ineptitude this team has been suffering with than that.

That’s they they cannot score runs. That’s why they cannot break games open. That’s why they are languishing away.

Semien’s bases loaded double gave the Rangers a five-run inning. Last year, the Rangers printed five-run innings like an eager counterfeiter. This year, the Rangers don’t score five runs in a week of games.

Yesterday, it happened again. In the eight inning, in a game that was 1-0 and the Rangers inept offense was back for yet another round, the Rangers scored another run on two singles, a sac bunt, and a misplay by the Royals at home where the catcher thought it was a force play and stepped on home instead of tagging the runner. A walk loaded the bases.

Then, Wyatt Langford came up. Throughout the season, this would result in an out or maybe a walk or one-run-scoring single. But maybe Marcus Semien had broken the curse the night before.

When the pitch landed in the left field seats, it had turned itself into a grand slam. The Rangers razor-thin lead was now 6-0.

For the second game in a row, the Rangers got an extra-base hit with bases loaded.

For the second game in a row, the Rangers had a five-run inning.

For the second game in a row, the Rangers scored six runs.

For the second game in a row, the Rangers looked like the Rangers.

*****  
TODAY’S GAME: