June 14, 2022 - Game 61
W- Bryan Abreu (4-0)
L- John King (1-3)
S - Ryan Pressly (12)
HR: TEX: Lowe (8); HOU: Tucker (12)
Time of Game: 2:40
Game Recap
The Rangers and Astros met on Tuesday as Texas tried to extend their winning streak to four games. Dane Dunning took the mound for the Rangers, coming off a struggling outing in rainy Cleveland. The Astros brought out Jose Urquidy, a starter that has given the Rangers fits in the past. It was Dallas Mavericks' night at the ballpark on a night where the Astros looked like they had open shots but couldn't convert (bad basketball analogy).
Dane Dunning had to throw forty pitches in two innings but didn't allow a run in that span. The Astros put together some tough at-bats but couldn't crack the Dane code. "It's not then that effects me, it's the third, fourth, and fifth inning when I'm already at seventy pitches," Dane Dunning said. "It's later in the game where I fatigued out and getting tired. I felt like the whole night was foul balls after foul balls." Meanwhile, in the third inning, the Rangers struck first with an RBI single by Marcus Semien, scoring Ezequiel Duran. Following in the next inning, Nathaniel Lowe crushed a ball into the Rangers bullpen for a two-run home run, putting Texas up 3-0. Both the Rangers and Astros offense remained quiet after the fourth inning. Three combined batters reached base in that span, including a Yordan Alvarez walk, where a double play erased him on the bases immediately after the walk.
Then all hell broke loose in the eighth. After two straight singles, Alex Bregman hit a ball to Corey Seager. Seager threw it home, and Altuve got caught in a rundown. However, a Huff throw popped out of the glove of Ezequiel Duran, and Altuve scored. "[Corey] asked me about that," Chris Woodward said. "He admitted that he should have done that. Hindsight is 20/20, he's being aggressive [and] he's trying to make a play." The Astros added another run with a Yordan Alvarez RBI groundout and took the lead on a Kyle Tucker two-run home run. The Rangers couldn't muster up anymore offense and took a heartbreaking loss, a flip on what happened the previous three games.
Dane Dunning pitched six innings of shutout baseball; that's the fantastic news. However, he did walk four batters and hit one batter, which caused his pitch count to inflate to ninety-nine despite only six innings. Dunning allowed two hits and struck out four but didn't allow a run. "I felt slow and sluggish [and] didn't feel like I was moving well," Dunning said. "All in all as the game went on my pace got better and felt like I got into my legs a little more and felt strong overall." Dunning said his slider was good with location and throwing it with conviction. However, he felt his changeup wasn't as sharp Tuesday.
Matt Bush struck out two Astros in his one inning of work. Bush has put together a string of four straight scoreless outings since the June 5th debacle against Seattle. John King allowed three hits, but a poorly executed rundown and maybe a questionable decision to go to the plate caused four runs to score (three earned). "When you don't execute against these guys, they can make you pay. [I] just have to be better." King said. John added that he wanted to keep the pitch down and more outside to Kyle Tucker, but it was left more so over the plate which Tucker made King pay.
Dennis Santana cleaned up the eighth by retiring both batters he faced. Garrett Richards came into the ninth inning and mowed down the Astros in order one-two-three. Both Santana and Richards struck out one.
Postgame Notes
Marcus Semien has hits in nine of thirteen games he's played in June. In addition, Semien picked up an RBI in six of the thirteen games.
The four walks by Dane Dunning are the most in a start since September 26th at Baltimore and the second most walks in a Rangers uniform.
The five homers by Nathaniel Lowe in June are the most since his April run in 2021.
The three runs scored off Jose Urquidy are the most the Rangers have scored off Jose in a single start in Urquidy's career (six starts).
Ezequiel Duran has a base hit in seven of his last nine games.
Despite leaving with the lead, Tuesday was the fifth straight start for Dane Dunning, where the end game result was a loss.
Kyle Tucker has 12 RBI this season against the Rangers. Tucker has 38 total RBI on the season.
Astros have won seven of ten to start the season series.
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