That elusive Big Hit the Rangers couldn’t find the first two games in the Angels series, they found last night.

It took a while but they found it.

The Rangers didn’t get their first hit until the third inning, when Leody Taveras slugged his sixth home run of the year.

That tied the game at 1-1.

In the fifth, Jonah Heim walked, Mitch Garver doubled. Second and third and one out. The Rangers couldn’t find that clutch hit once again and stranded the runners.

In the sixth, Marcus Semien let off with a single then Corey Seager walked. Two on, no outs. After Duran struck out, Garcia walked. Bases loaded one out. Then Jung and Heim struck out.

More frustration.

In the seventh, Robbie Grossman singled with one out. Followed by the second out of the inning. Then Marcus Semien came up. With the count 1-1, he drilled the next pitch into the left field foul pole. Finally. The Rangers could exhale. They got that clutch hit they haven’t had in quite sometime. 

The Rangers took a 3-1 lead. The very next pitch, it was 4-1, courtesy of Corey Seager. And just like that, the Rangers offense was back. 

All it takes is one clutch hit. It seems so simple, and it is. But it is so difficult. 

The Rangers got two more two-out runs in the bottom of the eight, thanks to a single by Mitch Garver and single by Leody Taveras. Suddenly it was 6-1. 

Texas’s bullpen gave up its requisite two runs in the top of the ninth but the offense had done its job.

The three-game losing streak was over. The weight of failure was off their collective backs.

Now they just have to do it against Shohei Ohtani.

It’s never easy.

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