Once in a Blue Moon.


Starter Jordan Lyles pitched his best game as a Ranger last night.

Back in 1937, the Maine Farmer’s Almanac coined the phrase Blue Moon. According to the Almanac, the moon usually comes full 12 times in a year, three times a season. Occasionally, however, a year will have 13 full moons, instead of the usual 12. It’s an oddity.

“This was considered a very unfortunate circumstance,” the Almanac stated, “and it upset the regular arrangement of church festivals. For this reason, 13 had come to be considered an unlucky number.”

That extra full moon means one of the four seasons in that particular year will have four full moons instead of the usual three. “When a particular season has four full moons the third is called a Blue Moon,” the Almanac recorded. “So that the fourth and final one can continue to be called the late moon.” 

A Blue Moon is rare. So rare it occurs once every two or three years. It is occurring this weekend.

Which explains everything. It explains why the nature order of baseball has been totally thrown off in thirteen ways. 

  1. Why Jordan Lyles threw a gem: seven innings, one earned run. 

2. Why the Rangers offense generated seventeen hits, the most since July 1.

3. Why every Ranger starter got a hit, five players getting more than one. 

4. Why the Rangers scored double-digit runs for the first time in a game since July 6 game against Detroit, and the first time on the road since opening day.

5. Why they scored their ten runs last night without a home run.

6. Why Rangers hitters collected seven doubles, the most they’ve gotten since a game in early April of 2019.

7. Why Texas went 8-for-22 with runners in scoring position. 

8. Why Nick Solak came back from oblivion and collected two hits, including a double and an RBI.

9. Why Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Adolis Garcia, and Andy Ibañez each racked up three hits.

10. Why the Red Sox committed five errors.

11. Why DJ Peters made one of the most amazing catches of the year against the center field wall and doubled off the stunned Red Sox runner at first.

12. Why JD Martinez would be foolish enough to attempt to run on Adolis Garcia’s arm, getting nailed at the plate by a good three feet.

13. And why last night’s 10-1 win over Boston was only the team’s second road victory since the All-Star break.

Once in a Blue Moon the it all clicks for the Rangers. The next Blue Moon will occur in August of 2023. 

Who says there’s nothing on the horizon for Rangers fans to get excited about?

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

POSTPONED DUE TO HURRICANE HENRI.