May 1, 2022 - Game 22
W - Taylor Hearn (1-2)
L - Kyle Muller (0-1)
S - None
HR: None
Time of Game: 3:00
Cowboy Hat Winner: Adolis García (2nd)
Game Recap
The Rangers entered Sunday, still needing a jump start to their offense. One piece of good news hit, the Rangers were able to break out their beauty baby blue uniforms that fans missed two weeks ago. Texas scored twelve runs in their last five games, in which they lost four of five. Texas got after Braves starter Kyle Muller in a blink of an eye. Mitch Garver laced a single to left field to score Adolis García. In the second inning, the Rangers manufactured two runs, one on a Marcus Semien groundout and the other on a fielders' choice hit by García. Rangers' starter Taylor Hearn ran into trouble in the third inning as the first two guys reached (in the bottom of the lineup). Matt Olson drove in William Contreras on a groundout, and Austin Riley singled Dansby Swanson, cutting the Rangers' lead to 3-2.
The Rangers' got aggressive in the bottom of the third—the first two Rangers reached base (Nick Solak single and Nathaniel Lowe walk). After Solak stole third base, Charlie Culberson laid down a bunt to score Nick while Culberson reached. With the bases loaded and two outs, García broke the game open with a three-run triple over the outstretch of Travis Demeritte, extending the Rangers' lead to 7-2. "It was chaos, guys were ready to run," Rangers' manager Chris Woodward said after the game regarding the third inning. "As soon as they got on base, they ran."
Taylor Hearn's outing Sunday was an improvement but still ended up as an okay outing. Hearn had spurts of struggles to begin the third inning but managed to go five innings. In Hearn's outing, he allowed four hits, two runs, three walks, and struck out six, though got seven runs of support on Sunday. "[I] try to get them back in the dugout as quick as I can," Taylor told me when asking about the mentality after the club put four in the third. "It's a lot easier said than done especially with that type of lineup. [I] try to keep the pressure ont hem and let my teammates know that I'm going to come after these guys and try to get us back in the dugout as quick as I can. I can't let off the gas."
My pick for Rangers' pitcher of the month for April, Matt Moore, tossed two scoreless innings while walking one and striking out three. John King allowed the first two batters in the eighth to reach on a single and hit by a pitch. However, a double play and a groundout ended any threat. In the ninth inning, Matt Bush ran into a little trouble with two on and one out and allowed a sacrifice fly. However, one hit and an error was all the damage and finished the afternoon closing the game.
I asked Matt Moore about the turnaround from some of the guys in the bullpen, "I got here in the first week and since then, we've been doing our job from the standpoint of eating up a lot innings and keeping the team right there in the game," Matt Moore told me Saturday. "There's been a couple of games where there's been a timely hit that bites us, but we're not seeing too many ten and twelve run games." The defense shined on Sunday, especially from Charlie Culberson who hadn't played third base since April 25th. "My whole career, I would sit two [and] three weeks at a time and not play," Charlie told me after the game. "I try my best and practice to get game-like groundballs when I'm not playing around the infield. When I do play, have fun. Don't go out and be patient, but go out and react."
It was a rough outing for Dallas native Kyle Muller. In 2.2 innings, Muller walked six batters and allowed four hits. The Rangers got to him for seven runs and struck out three times against Muller. However, the Rangers' offense quieted down after the third inning and held scoreless for the rest of the afternoon. The club managed four hits but struck out five times and didn't walk against the Braves bullpen from the fourth inning on.
After the game, fans got to enjoy the "Facing Nolan" documentary with Nolan Ryan and Reid Ryan in attendance Sunday.
Postgame Notes
Sunday's game at Globe Life Field was a sellout. It was the third ever sellout at the park and the first in 2022. Sunday's game also broke the attendance record set on April 5th, 2021, against the Blue Jays (the Home Opener and first Rangers' home game with fans).
The Rangers won back-to-back home games for the first time since August 30th and August 31st against the Rockies.
Texas is now 4-5 against left-handed starters while they're 4-9 in games started by right-handers.
Rangers have won thirteen of their last eighteen against the Atlanta Braves, dating back to 2005.
All nine starters for Texas reached base in the first three innings of Sunday's game.
Matt Moore is on a scoreless streak of 8.1 innings (five outings).
In his last nine games, Andy Ibáñez is 9 for 25 and got a base hit in eight of the nine games.
The Rangers picked up a series win against the defending World Series champion for the first time since July 27th-29th, 2018 against the Houston Astros.
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