Rougned Odor and Carlos Gomez homered back-to-back in the eighth inning to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 win.

Three games in a row the Rangers have come back from deficits against the Tampa Bay Rays. Three games in a row they have come back from the dead.

The sweep of the Rays in Tampa helped the Rangers end their road trip at 5-5. And helped postpone their wake.

Texas continues being the streakiest of teams. Five losses in a row followed by three wins.  The team that came out of the gate in the second half of the season two games under .500 is now back where they started. But further from where they were.

That’s the paradox of the 2017 Rangers.

Maybe it’s a case of too little too late. Or, maybe this team is finally showing the life it has been claiming been there from the start.

But every time they have shown that spark, they hit a brick wall. So, it’s hard to get too excited. Just when you think they have overcome their demons, they fall off the wagon just as quickly.

Rougned Odor is the poster boy for the Rangers offense. He hit two runs on opening day, and then pretty much went into hibernation for three-and-a-half months.

He had another two-home-run game yesterday.

Maybe it’s a case of too little too late.

Or, maybe this is Odor finally finding the groove that made him a breakout offensive force last season.

But every time he, too, has shown that spark, he, too, hits a brick wall. So, we shall see.

At the All-Star break, Texas was sixth in the wild card race, with four teams ahead of them for the second wild card spot.

Now, ten games later, coming off a three-game winning streak, Texas is seventh in the wild card race, with five teams ahead of them for that second spot.  The Mariners have joined the party.

So, Texas heads home for the first time after the break. With a three-game winning streak. Further from the wild card then when they left.

The sweep of Tampa Bay was nice.  But was it too little too late?

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Adam Conley (2-3, 6.75) vs. Martin Perez (5-7, 4.72)
Game time: 7:05

How the Marlins hit against Perez.
How the Rangers hit against Conley.