June 11, 2022 - Game 58
W- Matt Moore (3-0)
L- Matt Foster (1-1)
S - None
HR: TEX: García (12) CHW: Burger (8)
Time of Game: 4:03
Rangers Cowboy Hat Winner: Adolis García (5th)
Game Recap
On Saturday, the Rangers and White Sox played game two under the sun (with some clouds). Texas turned to Martín Pérez after they went with a bullpen game on Friday. "It's [comforting]," Chris Woodward said before the game. "Part of our decision making went into knowing that we have Martín and Jon Gray going." Meantime, the Rangers had to make another roster spot move with Steele Walker added to the COVID-IL and Zach Reks in as the replacement player. It was a tall task on paper entering Saturday for the offense against the White Sox's Lucas Giolito. On paper what looked like a good pitching matchup turned to offensive chaos Saturday.
Right out of the gate, the Rangers had opportunities. After the first two reached on singles, Adolis García, Kole Calhoun, and Jonah Heim struck out to end the inning. Again, the Rangers had chances in the second. However, a strikeout and a pop-out ended another two on threat for Texas. On the other side, the White struck first on the scoreboard on RBI singles by AJ Pollock and Luis Robert, putting Chicago up 2-0. José Abreu doubled to bring in Robert in the fourth inning, while Jake Burger's home run capped a three-run inning off Martín Pérez. After that, the Rangers' offense clicked into gear as Corey Seager nearly missed a grand slam but turned to a sacrifice fly. Then Adolis cleaned up the bases with a three-run home run, cutting the White Sox lead to 5-4. "I feel good about it," Adolis said. Our team needed that kind of energy and spark. It was a good turnaround for us and get us motivated again."
However, Chicago got a few runs back on a defensive miscue by Corey Seager, scoring Reese McGuire and an Andrew Vaughn RBI groundout. In the seventh inning, Brad Miller laced an RBI single, scoring Ezequiel Duran as the Rangers crawled back within two runs at 7-5. In the seventh, the Rangers' speed put them in a position to tie the game up. After García reached base, Kole Calhoun ripped a double to right field. Some assistance by Andrew Vaughn, the right fielder, scored Adolis from first, and Calhoun moved to third base on the double. Right after, Jonah Heim hit the Rangers' second sacrifice fly of the game to even the afternoon at seven.
Both bullpens held the offenses off the scoreboard until extra innings. The Rangers flooded Matt Foster with a Nathaniel Lowe RBI double, a passed ball, and a two-run single by Marcus Semien. The White Sox did get their zombie runner to the plate on a single by Danny Mendick followed by a sacrifice fly by Andrew Vaughn. Though Joe Barlow finished the game and the Rangers evened the series.
Martín Pérez didn't have the sharpness on Saturday Rangers fans grew used to. From the first pitch, the command felt off as Martín scuffled out of the gate. In five innings, Martín threw one-hundred-one pitches and sixty strikes. He allowed six earned runs, seven total, runs, twelve hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. "We talk about team effort," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said when I asked about picking Martín Pérez up after Pérez picked the offense up in the past. "Those guys know what he's going through out there and he's making quality pitches. Credit to the White Sox for laying off those tough pitches. We have to pick each other up at times. [Martín] can't carry us every time."
Jesus Tinoco followed his one strikeout performance by striking out the side in the sixth inning on twelve pitches. Brock Burke retired the first two hitters in the seventh but allowed a double and a walk. Woodward replaced him with Matt Bush and got the final out in the seventh inning.
Matt Moore pitched two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth with five strikeouts. The first strikeout in the inning was Moore's 900th career strikeout. I asked Matt Moore if when he struck out Luis Robert if he knew it was his 900th career strikeout. "No, but someone mentioned that to me earlier," Moore said. "[It feels] like all but the first one. The round number is something, but thinking no round number personal achievements ever made me feel like being in the playoffs, being in the postseason with a club or first place in the division or knowing that teams are chasing you. The closer we get to .500, the closer we get to be that team. That's where my head is at what is getting me the good feels these days." Joe Barlow pitched the tenth inning and allowed two hits with two runs scoring.
Postgame Notes
Corey Seager's single with Marcus Semien at second base snapped a streak of 0 for 25 with runners in scoring position.
Adolis García's three-run home run in the fifth inning breaks a 1 for 31 stretch with runners in scoring position with the one hit a non-run scoring hit. The last run-scoring hit with runners in scoring position was the fourth inning on June 4th against Seattle, a three-run homer by Adolis García.
Martín Pérez's six runs and twelve hits were both season highs. The last time Pérez allowed six runs was July 30th against the Rays. The twelve hits is a career-high for Martín.
The twelve hits allowed by Martín Pérez is a Rangers season-high for a pitcher.
Jesus Tinoco has faced four batters in 2022 and struck out all four.
Kole Calhoun came into Saturday's game 2 for his last 27. He knocked two doubles during the afternoon.
The Corey Seager sacrifice fly was the first sacrifice fly for Texas since May 25th against the Angels.
It's the third time the Rangers came back down five runs to win a ballgame.
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