April 23, 2022 - Game 14
W - Brock Burke (2-0)
L - Frankie Montas (2-2)
S - Matt Bush (1)
HR: None
Time of Game: 2:41
Cowboy Hat Winner: Brad Miller (2nd)
Game Recap
It was an old-fashioned pitching duel on Saturday. Martín Pérez and Frankie Montas didn't allow a baserunner until the top of the third when Adolis García reached on an error by A's shortstop Nick Allen. The first base hit came in the bottom of the third when Nick Allen doubled deep to left field. Both teams combined for nine baserunners in the first seven innings of Saturday's game. For Martín Pérez, Saturday was the longest start by a Texas Rangers starter in 2022. He went six innings, allowed two hits, one walk, and struck out five Oakland hitters. Pérez threw 87 pitches which was the most by a Rangers starter too. Frankie Montas, meantime, left in the eighth inning. Montas' afternoon went 7.1 innings, allowed three hits (two in the eighth), one walk, and struck out eight Rangers. "Similar to Otto yesterday, he was in command in everything he threw," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "His sinker, his changeup was good, his backup cutter. It's Martín Pérez."
When Domingo Acevedo came in to keep it scoreless, he allowed an RBI single by Brad Miller. The Rangers also picked up a run after the Miller single with an overturned call as the Buster Posey rule came into effect. Sean Murphy didn't give Eli White a lane, and the umpires awarded White home plate. Texas scored two in the eighth inning. Chris Woodward said after the game they challenged the safe call and wanted to look at if Murphy gave Eli a lane to slide to home plate.
Brock Burke came in to relieve Pérez and threw a scoreless seventh inning. Burke allowed a Stephen Piscotty double and an Elvis Andrus walk but picked up a strikeout and got out of trouble. Brett Martin threw a six-pitch bottom of the eighth inning that included a strikeout and made quick work of the Athletics. Next, matt Bush came in to try to pick up his first save since 2017. Even though Joe Barlow was their man "leverage" man (i.e., closer), Barlow threw a couple of innings on Thursday and, per Chris Woodward, was "hot", or warmed up. Bush pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his twelfth career save, but his first since 2017. "I feel outstanding. It really has been a long time for me," Matt Bush said. "[I was] back in Oakland, [having] good memories whopping on these guys early in my career. [It] was a great ballgame to watch and be a part of."
The Rangers go for the sweep Sunday and their fourth straight victory. It would also be a winning road trip, something after Wednesday not many thought would happen.
Postgame Notes
Martín Pérez’s six innings and eighty-seven pitches were the longest start by a Rangers starter in 2022
Saturday’s outing by Pérez was the second time he threw six shutout innings and allowed two hits or fewer. On May 9th, 2019, the other came to Toronto when Martín was with Minnesota.
Between Seth Brown’s double in the fourth inning, Friday and Nick Allen’s double Saturday, Rangers’ pitchers retired twenty-seven of thirty Oakland Athletics’ hitters, with the three reaching via walk.
Matt Bush picked up his first save since June 27th, 2017.
The Rangers shut out a team for the first time since September 6th, 2021, when the Rangers shut out the Angels in Anaheim.
Nathaniel Lowe’s on-base streak to start the season snapped Saturday. It was the first game he didn’t reach base.
The Rangers were the lone MLB team without a save until Matt Bush’s save.
Out of the eight baserunners for Texas Saturday, Adolis García reached three times. In addition, he reached base in three of the first four plate appearances.
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