April 15, 2022 - Game 7
W - Austin Warren (1-0)
L - Kolby Allard (0-1)
S - Raisel Iglesias (2)
HR: LAA: Ohtani 2 (2), Adell (2), Suzuki (1), Walsh (2)
Time of Game: 3:32
Game Recap
The night started with grand festivities to honor Jackie Robinson Day and the 50th Anniversary of the Texas Rangers. It began with Dick Bossman throwing out the first pitch to Jim Sundberg. Next, Dion Pride, son of Charley Pride, did a lovely rendition of the National Anthem. Finally, Tony Beasley caught the first pitch from Opal Lee, accompanied by Al Oliver and Ferguson Jenkins. Opal Lee is a retired teacher, counselor, and activist from Texas whose march became a significant reason that Juneteenth became a National Holiday. "I don't know how to describe it," 95-year-old Lee told the media. "It's fabulous, it's humbling, and I just hope that the next time you have one of these, you call me, and I'll throw that pitch again."
The Angels used the long ball early against Matt Bush and Albert Abreu. Shohei Ohtani went deep off of Bush in the first, while Jo Adell smacked a 447-foot shot in the second. Matt Bush pitched one inning and struck out the side outside of the Ohtani homer, while Abreu went two innings and struck out three. In the bottom of the second, the Rangers added a run on a Charlie Culberson RBI fielders' choice, scoring Nathaniel Lowe. Also in the inning as Corey Seager grounded out, he stepped awkwardly at first base. He wasn't looked at in the dugout by any trainer, came back out the next frame, and finished the game. "I was trying not to run into the first baseman," Corey Seager said after the game. "[Therefore, I was] doing everything I could to get out of the way."
What happened between the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth was all I can describe is… utter chaos. First, Charlie Culberson came feet away from a three-run homer but ended up with a two-run double. Then the unthinkable happened, Joe Maddon intentionally walked Corey Seager with the bases loaded, something only done for the third time in nearly eighty years. "I've seen it done to the best hitter of the game," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "For Seager, it's a compliment to how good he is." The Rangers added two more on a sacrifice fly and one on a balk. Finally, in the top of the fifth, the Angels used the long ball with homers by Kurt Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani again. Jared Walsh followed with an RBI single, and Brandon Marsh gave the Angels the lead back on a sacrifice fly.
It was a rough outing for Kolby Allard, who allowed the five-run frame after pitching a quick fourth inning. Greg Holland cleaned up the fifth inning, and Nick Snyder pitched a scoreless sixth to start his 2022 MLB campaign. Unfortunately, Josh Sborz's seventh didn't go as smooth as Jared Walsh greeted him with a two-run home run, extending the Angels' lead to 9-6. Spencer Patton had a nice scoreless frame. The Rangers couldn't get anything additional offensively after their five-run frame as the Angels snuck away.
Postgame Notes
Corey Seager became the third player in the MLB Expansion Era to intentionally walk with the bases loaded to get to Mitch Garver. The last was 2008 when Rangers' Josh Hamilton walked with the bases loaded to get to Marlon Byrd. The opposing manager in 2008 was Joe Maddon (with the Rays).
Corey Seager is the seventh player in MLB history to be intentionally walked with the bases loaded, dating back to 1881 when The Buffalo Bisons intentionally walked Abner Dalrymple (Chicago White Stockings). Others include Napolean Lajoie (Phildelphia A's 1901), Del Bissonette (Brooklyn Robbins 1928), Bill Nicholson (Chicago Cubs 1944), Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants 1998), and Josh Hamilton.
Shohei Ohtani hit his seventh multi-homer game in his career on Friday.
It was the fifth time the Rangers scored four or more runs in an inning this season. Rangers played sixty-three innings this season. In 2021, they didn't score a four-run inning until game number nineteen.
Rangers attempted two stolen bases in their first six games (1 for 2). Texas stole three bases on Friday.
Kurt Suzuki's Home Run was also his 1,400th career hit.
Rangers are 2-5 for the fourth time in the last six years.
Nick Solak has picked up multi-hits in two of his three games in 2022.
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