June 22, 2022 - Game 68
W- Jon Gray (3-3)
L- Zack Wheeler (6-4)
S - Joe Barlow (13)
HR: PHI: Schwarber (19)
Time of Game: 3:12
Rangers Cowboy Hat Winner: Brad Miller (4th)
Game Recap
The Rangers and Phillies concluded a brief two-game series Wednesday. After Martín Pérez's six-inning gem on Tuesday, Jon Gray followed with his second start against the Phillies this season. On May 3rd, it was a shortened sixty-pitch outing in Philadelphia where he allowed three runs on five hits in three innings of work. Next, the Rangers saw Zack Wheeler for a second time. Wheeler threw 7.2 shutout innings in his start on May 4th against Texas. Wheeler allowed six hits and one walk during that early May outing. "I was proud of our offense today," Chris Woodward said. "[We made] Wheeler throw a ton a pitches [and] worked a lot of counts."
Texas struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Former Phillie, Brad Miller, singled with two on, scoring Jonah Heim and Josh Smith. Smith scored from first base on a single to right field. "I almost checked up a little bit, but then I saw Beas going so I kept running," Smith said on running from first to home. "It was a good send by [Beas] and a good hit by Brad." The Phillies countered with a two-run home run by Kyle Schwarber to even the game up at two. Texas then followed in the bottom of the third inning. Kole Calhoun gave the Rangers the lead back with a single up the middle. Corey Seager scored to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.
Then in the fifth inning, Kole Calhoun delivered another RBI hit. He doubled but was thrown out at third, trying for a triple. The double scored Adolis García to put Texas up 4-2. Both offenses went quiet the rest of the night as the Rangers hung on to take both games of the two-game series against the Phillies. I asked Jon Gray after the game if the Rangers have the Phillies number with taking all four games in 2022. "There might be," Gray said. "I think there's something to that, but I feel we're playing better baseball [and] getting better as we go and it's fun to see."
Like Martín Pérez, Jon Gray dealt with traffic in his start. After one-hundred and two pitches, Gray's outing was complete and done after 5.2 innings. During Gray's start, he allowed four hits, two runs, one walk, five strikeouts, and a batter reached on a drop third strike. "We filled the zone up the zone quite a bit, it was good," Gray said. "I didn't feel the best today, but we still put the ball in good places. I think we pitched them pretty well."
Matt Moore took over the sixth for Gray and got Didi Gregorius to strike out. Then in the seventh, he walked a batter but yielded a scoreless inning. Dennis Santana threw a scoreless eighth inning on twelve pitches (eleven strikes). He allowed one hit in his one inning. Joe Barlow came in to close the ninth inning. He shut down Philadelphia in order to earn the save and cap off the week.
Postgame Notes
The Rangers have won nine straight against the Phillies and go 4-0 to close the season series. It's the first time in Rangers' history that they went a perfect 4-0 or better against an NL opponent. Texas went 12-0 against the Twins in 1999 and 6-0 against the Tigers in 2019.
Jon Gray has thrown 102 pitches in each of his last three starts. The 5.2 innings is the shortest among the three starts.
Jonah Heim finished the season series vs. the Phillies going 4 for 9 with two home runs. Heim also reached base seven times in thirteen plate appearances against Phillies pitching (.538 OBP).
Zack Wheeler's four runs allowed are the most since April 23rd. Although only two of the four allowed Wednesday were earned runs.
The Rangers lead MLB baseball with sixteen outfield assists.
Brad Miller went 2 for 9 this season against the Phillies. Both of his hits produced runs (3 RBI total).
The Rangers have a six-game winning streak against the National League, which is the longest streak by Texas since May/June 2017, when the club won seven straight.
The Rangers' nine straight wins against the Phillies is the longest win streak in franchise history against a National League Opponent.
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