Josh Hamilton rounds third after smacking his third home run of the season, this one into the right field bullpen. 

Last night the Rangers got their first two batters of the game on base, then left them there.

It was turn back the clock night, and for a few innings it looked like they were going to turn it back to July 17, 2015, a night when the Rangers got 15 hits but scored only two runs, leaving runner after runner after runner in scoring position in a show of futility. I remember that day well.

Instead, they turned back the clock to 2011. They played long ball three times, they played small ball twice, they played baseball.

If for one night, it was shades of 2011. Josh Hamilton dominated at the plate, with two doubles and a home run. Colby Lewis dominated on the mound, with no BBs and seven Ks, for a W. Beltre played smothering defense.

And Elvis made an error.

Yep, 2011. If for just one night.

In doing so, the Rangers snapped their three-game losing streak. But they tried as hard as they could to extend their streak to four. In the end, a little bit of 2011 Rangers was able to hold back a whole lot of 2015 Rangers.

Josh Hamilton>Tanner Scheppers+Elvis Andrus.

Now it’s a matter of seeing if this is the start of something, or just the interruption of what we have seen too much of.