May 28, 2022 - Game 45
W- Taylor Hearn (3-3)
L- Zach Logue (2-4)
S - None
HR: TEX: Seager (9), García (7), Semien (1); OAK: Laureano (1)
Time of Game: 3:15
Cowboy Hat Winner: Marcus Semien (1st)
Game Recap
After two late-game heroic victories, the Rangers faced the Athletics for the third game of the four-game weekend series. Taylor Hearn took the mound from two okay outings against the Angels and Astros. For the first time this season, Hearn pitched into the sixth inning. Meanwhile, the Rangers faced Athletics rookie left-hander Zach Logue for the first time. On Saturday afternoon, the Rangers' offense exploded against Logue and the Oakland bullpen. The afternoon was sweet, and the Rangers are one game below .500 for the first time since they lost Opening Day. "Guys are coming together as far as not only following the team game plan but following their own game plan and executing," Woodward said.
The Rangers and Athletics had at least one baserunner in the first inning and a half (Rangers' first and second inning and Oakland's first inning), but no runs came across. Then, the floodgates opened in the third inning. Corey Seager launched a homer to dead center field, scoring Marcus Semien. Adolis García followed on the next pitch with a solo home run to left field, putting the Rangers up 3-0. After Kole Calhoun reached, Nathaniel Lowe tripled to the right-field corner, and the Rangers settled for a four-run third inning.
After Oakland got on the board with an RBI groundout by Sheldon Neuse, Andy Ibáñez continued his damage in the fifth inning. Ibáñez singled to left, scoring Lowe, and with the bases loaded, Marcus Semien had a weight lifted off his shoulders. Semien's fifth-inning grand slam was his first home run as a Texas Ranger. "He swung the bat good of for us lately, and getting on base," Chris Woodward said after the game about Semien's grand slam. You can see the impact he has when he gets on base. I know that was a big one for him."
Texas added another run on a Kole Calhoun single, scoring Seager to a 10-1 lead. The Athletics added to the home run total with a Ramon Laureano shot to left-center field. Texas had the bases loaded in the sixth as Semien picked up another RBI on a walk. However, the Rangers couldn't add more as Seager hit into a double play.
The Athletics picked up a run in both the sixth and seventh innings. Sheldon Neuse singled home Christian Bethancourt for Neuse's second RBI in the sixth. In the seventh, Elvis Andrus reached on a fielder's choice, but newly inserted Brad Miller tagged Chad Pinder to end the inning with the Laureano scoring. Both offenses didn't cross the plate for the rest of the afternoon.
Taylor Hearn benefited from some hefty run support but still came out and competed hard on Saturday. Hearn pitched six innings allowing three runs (two earned), eight hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. "He did exactly what we needed from him today. I thought the first two-three innings were really good," Woodward said. Brett Martin allowed two hits and a run in the seventh inning. He struck out one batter. After missing a month due to an ankle injury, Albert Abreu threw a scoreless inning while walking one batter. Garrett Richards finished the ninth retiring three up and three down to seal the Saturday win.
"Getting the opportunity to come over here and with this front office and what they want to do, with Woody as the manager, the coaching staff, the players that were here and were coming in, I couldn't help but have excitement throughout the offseason and excited to be here." Kole Calhoun said when asked about being around the group of guys.
Postgame Notes
The Rangers set a season-high with eighteen hits on Saturday. It's the most hits since September 8th, 2019 in Baltimore when the Rangers racked up twenty hits against the Orioles.
Even though Corey Seager hit his ninth home run, it was his first homer away from Globe Life Field.
Marcus Semien's last home run was on October 3rd (the final game of the 2021 season) against the Orioles with the Blue Jays.
For the first time in his career, Andy Ibáñez has driven in a run in three straight games.
With three extra-base hits, Nathaniel Lowe is 6 for 11 in the current series against the Athletics.
Sam Huff extended his streak to fifteen straight MLB starts with at least one hit. His fifteenth hit of the season was his first extra-base hit (a double in the seventh inning).
Kole Calhoun has a hit in fifteen of his last seventeen games. Calhoun is 25 of his last 63 (.397) in that span, which began on May 10th.
In the starting nine, eight reached base multiple times. Eli White was the only Rangers' starter that didn't reach base twice or record a hit, but he did walk one time.
Your #Tarlos Gif Reaction
Comments