It always starts with a walk. With a thin one-run lead in the ninth, Luke Jackson, who had been seven-for-seven in save opportunities (his opening day meltdown wasn’t one), got the first out in the ninth, then committed the cardinal sin of walking the next batter.

That gave the Sacramento Athletics a sliver of hope. When the next batter hit a harmless single to center and Leody Taveras butchered it into a two-bagger, allowing the tying run to score from first. On a single.  

That put the winning run in scoring position. A flyout made it two outs. A single won the game for Sacramento.

And just like that, the Rangers went from a sure victory, a sure win of the series, to a frustrating loss, and a tie with the suddenly resurgent Astros for first place. 

Yes, you can blame the error. It was the cause.

But the fact that this team managed only three runs—all from solo shots hit in the fourth inning—is the real culprit.

This team is supposed to hit. But until it proves it can, it won’t. This is looking like last season when Rangers fans just kept waiting for the bats to come alive—it will happen any second, it will happen this series—and watch the season drift away in the wait.

There’s no reason to think this team can hit. Not until it proves it on a regular basis. For now, it’s a team with arms but not bats. 

And when that happens, there’s no room for error. So, an innocent ninth-inning walk leads to disaster. Luke Jackson can’t be expected to be perfect. Neither can any Rangers pitcher.

But, when they aren’t, the Rangers won’t win. The don’t have the offense to pull it off. Maybe next year.

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