We were taught in kindergarten to share. Sharing is good. Being stingy is bad.

True when it comes to finger paints. Not true when it comes to pitching.

This run the Rangers have been on, 12-2 in August, started when Chris Young acquired Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery to solidify the rotation that had been sagging under the weight of too much work, and not enough quality arms.

The biggest turnaround, though, has been the rotation’s cutting down on walks. On being stingy. And not sharing free bases with opposing hitters.

The last five games, Jordan Montgomery allowed zero walks (last night), Max Scherzer walked one, Dane Dunning zero, Andrew Heaney (who was ill) walked two, and Jon Gray zero.

The time before that: Montgomery one, Scherzer two, Dunning three, Heaney two, Gray two.

The Rangers are 8-2 in their last two spins around their rotation. In July, when they were running on fumes, they were giving away walks like cups of water to marathon runners.

The defense has been lock-down solid as well, committing just two errors in its last ten games. Which means, Rangers starters are forcing their opponents to hit the ball and the Rangers defense isn’t giving them freebies either.

This is why the Rangers rotation has the best ERA in August, at 2.87.

Basically, what that is called is fundamental baseball. Throw strikes, don’t walk anyone, play tight defense, score runs.

That’s how they go 12-2.

*****