June 26, 2022 - Game 71
W - Jackson Tetreault (2-1)
L - Glenn Otto (4-3)
S - Tanner Rainey (10)
HR: TEX: Heim (10)
Time of Game: 3:17
Game Recap
Texas and Washington concluded a three-game series on Sunday. After Adolis García’s impressive ninth-inning show, the Rangers looked to keep the momentum going. But, instead, they turned to Glenn Otto, who came off the COVID-IL Sunday (along with a pleather of moves). The moves included Matt Bush going to the IL with arm soreness, Taylor Hearn heading to Round Rock, and Josh Sborz recalled. The position player side also took some moves, with Ezequiel Duran going to Triple-A for the first time in his young career and Steven Duggar activated. "It's those guys decision," Smith told me Sunday. "Zeke came up here, did his job [and] did really well at it," "I'm sure he's a little upset, but I know he's going to go to Round Rock and he's going to go ball out, do his thing, and hopefully be back up here soon." Sunday was Otto’s first MLB work since early June and his second appearance overall since recovering from COVID. "I feel like the rehab start got my work in and was able to play catch and throw the ball around while I had COVID," Glenn Otto said. "I just have to do a better job of coming out and firing from square one and putting pressure on the hitters, getting ahead, [and] executing pitches."
The Nationals wasted no time against Glenn Otto. Washington averaged around 100 mph exit velocity in the first inning, including a hard single by Nelson Cruz, scoring Juan Soto, a sacrifice fly by Yadiel Hernandez, and a double by Lane Thomas. After half-an-inning, the Rangers trailed the Nationals 3-0. Washington added three more with a Josh Bell double and a two-run single by Nelson Cruz as the Nationals planted a 6-0 advantage. The Rangers couldn’t get anything going offensively against Nationals’ starter, Jackson Tetreault. "We have to do a better job of putting pressure on pitchers right now," Chris Woodward said. "We're not putting on traffic and we went through this earlier. We don't' put traffic on the bases we lose a lot of our advantage on the bases, our ability to slug goes away. We have to do a better job at being more discipline, staying in the zone. Discipline is the biggest word I can use right now."
After a Nathaniel Lowe doubles in the second, Tetreault retired fourteen of the next fifteen (Corey Seager walked in the fourth inning). To start the seventh, García singled, followed by Kole Calhoun doubling to set up a good scoring opportunity. Jonah Heim hit a sacrifice fly, but the Rangers could only rack up one run in a golden chance in the seventh. In the ninth, the Rangers grabbed a little offensive momentum with a Kole Calhoun double and Nathaniel Lowe single. Jonah Heim hit a 399 foot shot to left field to make things close (within two runs), but Texas couldn't complete the comeback against the Nationals closer Tanner Rainey and fall to the Nationals Sunday.
Glenn Otto’s start was short on Sunday. While it was somewhat on design (seventy to eighty pitches), Otto was more limited due to his struggles. In his two innings, Otto allowed six hits, six runs, three walks, and one strikeout. "It was a struggle," Glenn Otto said after the game. "[I] wasn't able to establish the zone at all. Things were getting away from me. It's over now [and] ready for the next one."
Garrett Richards pitched three scoreless frames after taking over for Otto. Richards allowed three hits and walked one batter while throwing forty-four pitches. John King pitched two shutout innings, only allowing one walk and no hits. José Leclerc had a nice bounce back outing on Sunday after a struggling first outing eight days ago. Leclerc pitched a scoreless eighth inning striking out two. Josh Sborz allowed the first two guys to reach in the ninth, but struck out the side to hold Washington scoreless. "I can't say enough of the job the bullpen did," Chris Woodward said. "Those guys came in and did exactly what we needed them to do. hats off to those guys because its puts in position to go to Kansas City not too beat up."
Postgame Notes
Sunday tied the shortest outing by Glenn Otto in his MLB career. On September 30th, Otto pitched two innings against the Angels and allowed five runs.
In five games at Arlington, Irving native Josh Bell is 10 for 21 with five extra base hits.
Garrett Richards threw three innings for the first time since September 1st, 2021. Richards had gone twenty-nine straight outings throwing 2.1 innings or fewer.
The Rangers finish June’s home schedule by going 5-8. In May, they were 9-3 at home, and in April, Texas was 3-8.
Rangers finish the series 1 for 20 with runners in scoring position. The one hit came on the Nathaniel Lowe single in the ninth inning on Sunday.
The Jonah Heim sacrifice fly was the first run scored by Texas in the series, not by a home run. The Rangers scored three home runs in the previous four runs (García twice and Lowe).
Josh Smith’s first-inning walk keeps a streak of ten straight games. Smith reached base to start his MLB career.
Juan Soto picked up his first four-walk game since October 1st, 2021
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