It’s bad enough this team tortures its fans for nine innings a game every night. But forcing fans to sit through extra innings of this torture is the very definition of cruel and inhumane punishment.

For the fourth game in a row, the Rangers went extra innings. They have lost three of those games. The optimist could point out the fight the Rangers have displayed to get to that point. But, that won’t happen. Because if anyone has been watching this team these first 85 games, there will not be an optimistic bone left in your body.

Optimists left the party long ago.

The Rangers didn’t lose this in the eleventh inning when they gave up four runs. They lost this game in the bottom of the eighth and then again in the bottom of the ninth in the same manner they always do. A bush league inability to get a hit when they need it.

The Rangers put two on with one out in the bottom of the eighth with the score tied 3-3. Jonah Heim strikes out. Josh Smith strikes out. A gambling fan could be rich betting on the Rangers to strike out in critical situations. 

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Kyle Higoshioka walked, and Ezequiel Duran pinch ran for him. He promptly stole second, then third. Third is exactly where he was stranded after Alejandro Osuna struck out and Sam Haggarty grounded out. 

All that did was give the Rangers a stay of execution. It delayed their demise to the eleventh inning. Even for one brief moment when Adolis Garcia hit a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the tenth with only one out, the Rangers had a chance to pull it out. Jonah Heim grounded out. Josh Smith popped up. Then the Orioles scored four in the top of the eleventh to take the life out of the crowd, out of the game, and out of the Rangers hopes for a playoff run.

Nine innings of futility is more than enough from here on out, thank you. 

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