The Rangers woke up, scored a run in the fifth, then went back to sleep, like they always do.
The Rangers are the small town America team. They roll up the tent after the seventh inning.
In twenty-one games, the Rangers have scored a total of just fourteen runs from the seventh inning on.
Before last night’s game against the Twins, total by inning from the seventh inning on looked like this:
3, 3, 7, 1.
After last night, it looks like this:
3, 3, 7, 1.
Last year this team was known for come-back wins. This year, the team is known for playing six and going home.
It’s as if the offense has watched how Banister handles the starting staff and said, “Wait, if they get to work only six innings, why shouldn’t we?”
For the entire season, only three seventh-inning runs and only three eighth inning runs. That is a quitter’s mentality if there ever was one.
The Rangers have, by the way, scored more runs in the second inning than any other team in baseball, with twenty-two.
The Rangers are America’s blue collar team. After six, they pack it in.
*****
TODAY’S GAME:
Hector Santiago (2-1, 2.19) vs. Cole Hamels (1-0, 2.77)
Game time: 7:05
How the Twins hit against Hamels.
How the Rangers hit against Santiago.