June 7, 2022 - Game 54
W- Cal Quantrill (3-3)
L- Jon Gray (1-3
S - Emmanuel Clase (10)
HR: TEX: Walker (1), Semien (4)
Time of Game: 2:40
Game Recap
The Rangers and Guardians, at long last, began game one of a three-game series and the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday. The Rangers had to make a few moves, with Brett Martin going to the COVID injured list earlier in the day. The Rangers recalled Andy Ibáñez for the Martin move and designated Josh Sborz as their twenty-seventh man for the doubleheader (only applicable for game one). Also, bench coach/offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker was also unavailable in the health and safety protocols. Jon Gray got the start for game one after a seven-inning and a twelve-strikeout gem against the Tampa Bay Rays last Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Guardians sent out Cal Quantrill, coming off three straight decent outings.
The Rangers came out aggressive against Quantrill. To begin the game, the Rangers got back-to-back hits on three pitches. Texas picked up a run in the opening inning with an RBI fielders’ choice hit by Kole Calhoun. Cleveland has the bases loaded and one out at the bottom of the second. Steven Kwan made contact, the best contact hitter in baseball, and lifted a sacrifice fly to left-center field, scoring Josh Naylor.
Wheels fell off for Jon Gray in the third inning. The inning started with a leadoff walk and followed with a single and stolen base. Owen Miller laced a single to left, scoring two and putting the Guardians up 3-1. Naylor and Gonzalez followed with doubles to complete a four-run inning against Gray. In the seventh inning, the Rangers used the long ball to get back into the game. Steele Walker picked up his first MLB home run, squeaking a homer down the right-field line, while Marcus Semien followed a homer down the left-field line. "It was a relief, but also felt good that I'm contributing to get a win," Steele Walker said. Cleveland got a run back on a grounder in the bottom of the seventh that Semien had trouble fielding. Pinch-runner Oscar Mercardo didn’t stop and ran to the plate to put the Guardians up 6-3. The Rangers couldn't get anything in the final two innings against the Cleveland bullpen and fell short in game one.
Jon Gray had some good stuff on Tuesday, but the command was inconsistent. His fastball hit in the upper-nineties, but the Guardians burned him with the sliders, especially in the fourth inning. Gray’s night ended with five innings, six hits, five runs, four walks, and three strikeouts. "I didn't throw strikes, got all around the place," Gray said. "I felt good, I just need to slow down and control [the delivery]. It's easier said than done, but I have the tools to switch it." The Guardians made Garrett Richards work in his two innings (forty-five pitches). Richards allowed two hits and two strikeouts. Defensive blunders gave Cleveland a run in the seventh inning unearned for Garrett. Josh Sborz pitched the eighth inning and allowed a hit. The Rangers intentionally walked Jose Ramirez which hit Sborz's line, but no damage done against Josh.
Postgame Notes
Marcus Semien has stolen a base successfully in twenty-four of his last twenty-six attempts. The third inning stolen base puts Texas ahead in MLB in stolen bases with forty-five.
Andy Ibáñez has a hit in three straight games he started and five of his last six games. Ibáñez is eight for his previous fifteen.
The Rangers are six for their last forty-eight, with runners in scoring position dating back to last Tuesday against the Rays (seven games).
The Rangers have lost five of their last six in Cleveland (they played doubleheaders in two of the previous three seasons in Cleveland).
Texas pitchers held Jose Ramirez hitless in Game 1. It’s only the seventh time since May 5th that Ramirez was hitless in a game.
Marcus Semien is 7 for 27 in June with three home runs. He’s homered four times in his last ten games.
The Rangers keep their home run streak alive at ten straight games with a home run. It’s the longest current streak in MLB and the third-longest overall in baseball in 2022.
With the team's defensive struggles on the previous road trip, Andy Ibáñez’s error in the seventh is the second error by the team in June.
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