September 21, 2022 - Game 148
W - Dane Dunning (4-8)
L - Tucker Davidson (2-7)
S- None
HR: TEX: Smith (2); LAA: Ward (19)
Time of Game: 2:35
Rangers Cowboy Hat Winner: Josh Smith (2nd)
Game Recap
The Rangers and Angels met at Globe Life Field for game two of three. Wednesday was Dane Dunning’s turn on the mound for his third straight start at home, despite the Rangers going on two separate road trips. Last week, in Dane’s start against the Athletics, he allowed four runs and three walks in 4.2 innings. It had been a scuffle for Dunning in September, allowing twelve runs in 14.1 innings. On the other side, the Angels went with Tucker Davidson, also reeling recently with two bad starts against the Astros. In those starts, Davidson allowed eleven runs in nine total innings. Prior to the game, the Rangers signed former Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki to a Major League contract and transferring Nick Solak to the 60-Day Injured list. Solak told me it's a small fracture. He mildly felt it in his right foot after the hit-by-pitch Wednesday, but waking up in Florida on Thursday he definitely felt the soreness where the initial X-Rays didn't show anything. "It was really the only option that was on the table and one that felt like it was a great fit. Excited to be here and met everybody today [and] a great group of guys," Kevin Plawecki said after the game.
The Angels started the night with a two-run home run by Taylor Ward off Dane Dunning. The single by Shohei Ohtani and a home run by Ward occurred with two-outs, an issue that kept prolonging with Rangers’ pitching and preventing two-out rallies. Texas picked up a run in the first three innings on Wednesday. In the first, it was an Adolis García sacrifice fly scoring Corey Seager. The run in the second inning was a fielder’s choice which scored Leody Taveras and evened up the game at two. In the third, Adolis doubled home Nathaniel Lowe to give the Rangers the lead through three.
The Rangers kept their 3-2 lead throughout the night thanks to three separate double plays turned three completely different ways. First, you had the traditional double play off the bat of Mike Trout in the third, and then there was a shallow outfield double play turned by Corey Seager to Nathaniel Lowe. Then, finally, the most impressive a comebacker line drive into the glove of Brock Burke and then back to Lowe to complete the DP. The Rangers added another run in the seventh when Josh Smith’s fly ball to right went 386 feet, extending the Texas lead to 4-2. "It felt good," Josh Smith said on the home run that went over the seats. "It's been too long. It's been a weird year, but for that to go over was pretty cool. That was fun."
The Angels had the tying run on base in the eighth by two walks. Matt Moore was able to strikeout Luis Rengifo to keep it a two-run ballgame. It was the first at-bat the Angels had with a runner in scoring position all night. The Rangers added three runs on Leody Taveras' two run single scoring Seager and Lowe. Due to Angels' defensive woes, Adolis scored on the play too clearing the bases, extending the Rangers lead to 7-2 and finishing the night strong.
It was a somewhat short outing by Dane Dunning. On Wednesday, Dane threw five innings, allowing three hits, two runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts while throwing seventy-two pitches. He had the beneficiary of three double plays turned behind him and a great catch by Josh Smith. "It helps out a ton. Corey was heads up with that [and] it's a hard catch that he handled easily and was able to turn a double play," Dane Dunning said on the defense. "I had Marcus in the right position with Trout. Tried to do a routine ground ball to first base and fumbled into the glove and foot race a guy whose way faster than me in first. It was a fortunate on those guys and Josh made a great catch at the wall on a mistake sinker in that almost got a way from me and he made an absolute wonderful catch."
Brock Burke pitched an excellent two innings. His only hit allowed was on an infield hit, where he was late covering first base. A line drive double play doubled off Ohtani; therefore, Burke faced the minimum six in his two innings. Matt Moore struck out two in his outing, but walked two. He didn't allow a run in the eighth inning paving way for José Leclerc.
Postgame Notes
Josh Smith hit his first outside the park home run. His other MLB homer came on July 11th vs. Oakland, an inside-the-park home run.
Wednesday was the fourth of the last five starts that Dane Dunning allowed a first-inning run. The Taylor Ward homer has Dane’s sixth allowed in the first.
In four of Dunning’s starts vs. the Angels, he allowed exactly two runs. This season, Dunning’s three highest strikeout totals have come against the Angels (eight twice and seven once).
In his last nineteen At-Bats vs. the Rangers, Mike Trout is 4 for 23 with a home run (.174).
Nathaniel Lowe picked up his fifty-third multi-hit game on Wednesday, most in the American League.
Adolis García picked up his fifth multi-RBI game of September. He has nineteen on the season, but five in September is the most in a month.
Since September 9th, Corey Seager has hit safely in eight of eleven games.
Brock Burke has a 9.2-inning scoreless streak this season against the Angels. He’s held the Angels scoreless in seven of the eight outings against the Halos.
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