Joey Gallo connects for a three-run homer in the first to put the game away early and spoil Los Angeles’s home opener.

Some games are won with dramatic soul-crushing home runs in the last inning.

Some are won with anti-climatic soul-crushing home runs in the first inning. Like last night’s game.

After four hitters, it was 3-0, thanks to Joey Gallo’s second home run of the season. Not long after that same inning, it was 5-0. The game was effectively over at that point. All that was left was filling out the score card.

When the barrage was over, and all the ink was dried, after fifteen hits and four walks, it ended 11-4.

Right now, the Rangers offense is clicking. Everyone seems to be a threat. And, indeed, every starter except for Odor chalked up a hit last night. Even more maddening for Angels pitchers, five different Rangers drove in runs. Choo drove in three, Andrus two, Gallo three, Guzman two, Kiner-Falefa one.

Once again a Rangers starter failed to get into the fourth inning. But the hitters right now are bailing them out.

It doesn’t hurt that Texas is catching a lot of teams that are down. The Cubs are 1-5, the Astros are 2-5, and the Angels, after last night’s loss, are 1-6. That’s a lot of bad baseball. But, then again, maybe it’s the Rangers who are responsible for that.

The Rangers are now third in the American League in team batting average and on-base percentage, and second in runs scored.

But one stat defines this team in the most significant way, especially in light of the baseball Rangers fans have witnessed from their team the past two seasons: The Texas Rangers lead all of major league baseball in batting average with runners in scoring position.

Repeat, the Texas Rangers lead all of major league baseball in batting average with runners in scoring position.

.367.

Let’s bask in that while we can.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Lance Lynn (0-0, 11.12) vs. Felix Peña (0-1, 9.82)
Game time: 8:07 9:07

TONIGHT’S GAME IS AT 9:07 CENTRAL, NOT 8:07. SORRY, I HAD THE TIME WRONG ORIGINALLY.