Maybe the Rangers have their new closer. They came into the season ignoring that singularly important role, figuring they would just toss someone in there and see what happens. 

That someone was Luke Jackson. When Jackson gave up three runs on opening day, you got the feeling he wasn’t the right guy for the job. Against all odds, he saved his next seven opportunities. Then the losses and blown saves started piling up and he lost the closer job. 

But since the Rangers stopped having save opportunities, they didn’t need a closer.

Until last night.

Coming into the game with a thin nine-run lead, Caleb Boushley was able to nail down the eventual 11-1 win and pick up his first-ever save.

It seems the Rangers may have their closer. All they need is nine-run leads.

Which leads to the real story here. THE RANGERS HAD A NINE-RUN LEAD.

They scored in the first. They had three multi-run innings, two of four-runs, one of two. Marcus Semien got four hits, including a home run. The Rangers picked up fifteen hits. And beat a lefthanded starter.

The offensive struggles they’ve had for most of the first fifty-seven games disappeared. In its place was a team that got two-out hits, battled, didn’t chase, and struck out only seven times. It was one of the few satisfying games of the year. 

Even Jack Leiter had a brilliant, scoreless start.

One month and one day ago, on April 29, the Rangers broke out of their troubles by pounding the Sacramento Athletics 15-2. It looked like they might have been turning the corner. They lost seven of their next nine.

Look, an 11-1 win is always welcome. For this team this year, it’s like finding a cold lake in the desert. But they will need to sustain it. Not scoring eleven runs a game. But more than one or two. More than one inning a game, then shutting it down.

*****