September 22, 2022 - Game 149
W - Matt Moore (5-2)
L - José Quijada (0-5)
S- José Leclerc (7)
HR: TEX: Seager (32)
Time of Game: 2:49
Rangers Cowboy Hat Winner: Corey Seager (4th)
Game Recap
The Rangers and Angels concluded their three-game series at Globe Life Field on Thursday afternoon. Martín Pérez took the mound, likely making his third-to-last start of the season (if the Rangers switch out Ragans for Martín). Pérez’s last appearance vs. the Angels came on July 29th, where he threw seven innings of one-run ball. “This year [Martín] has sustained success. He wants the ball, takes the ball every fifth turn, takes care of his body, does his necessary treatments, and things he does to prepare himself to pitch,” Tony Beasley said. “I think what Martín is doing right now is impressive. For us or any team in the industry that’s looking at him, you want pitchers that can pitch in the postseason and not just through 162.” The Texas offense faced off against Michael Lorenzen, who the Rangers haven’t seen in 2022.
Both teams went six up and six down to begin the afternoon. In the third, the Angels strung four hits together off Martín Pérez, with three coming on two outs. First, Mike Trout doubled to left field, scoring Magnerius Sierra and Luis Rengifo. Then Taylor Ward singled to right field, scoring Trout and putting the Angels up 3-0. The Rangers countered with a run as Josh Smith walked and stole second base. Marcus Semien doubled Smith home in a similar area where Trout hit his ball and cut the deficit to two. "When you have a guy you haven't faced all year you need to do your homework, watch video, pay attention during the game, and make adjustments when you need do," Marcus Semien said on not facing Michael Lorenzen all season. The Angels had a couple of chances with a runner in scoring position in the fourth and fifth. However, Pérez got a couple of quick outs in the fourth and a groundout in the fifth to keep the game close.
In the sixth, the Rangers had two on and none out. But, while Corey Seager hit into a force out at second, Nathaniel Lowe singled to left to score Leody Taveras. Then, Adolis García dunked a ball close to the right field line and even the game up at three. But, with the go-ahead run at second, Josh Jung grounded out to third base as the Rangers couldn’t take their first lead of the game. That soon changed in the eighth inning when Corey Seager launched a ball to the Angels bullpen for a two-run home run, putting Texas up 5-3. José Leclerc shut the door down while Shohei Ohtani doubled in the ninth. He struck out Trout to end the afternoon. "It's always something you can build off, you want to come out and play good baseball every time" Corey Seager said on the series win. "To come out and win a series against an inter division team, it's something to be proud of."
Martín Pérez coasted through the Angels lineup for the first time (Michael Stefanic was the only one that reached the first time in the order). However, the Angels got to Pérez the second time around with the three-run third inning. In the afternoon, Martín went six innings, five hits, three runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. Jonathan Hernández allowed a base hit in his inning but struck out a batter and didn’t allow a run. Matt Moore picked up the win in a scoreless eighth inning. He also allowed one hit and struck out one keeping the game tied after the top of the eighth. José Leclerc finished the afternoon with two strikeouts and a hit allowed (double by Ohtani). In the end, he shut the door down to pick up his seventh save of the year and the series. "It's big for us to win this series. We need that and going into the next series, we can let this momentum carry on," Beasley said on the victory Thursday.
Postgame Notes
The Rangers clinch the season series over the Angels with Thursday's win. They are 10-6 vs the Angels this season.
Nathaniel Lowe is hitting .339 with runners in scoring position this season. That ties Brad Miller for third highest on the club with no minimum restrictions (Zach Reks .417 and Mark Mathias .467).
Marcus Semien’s 77 RBI ranks second in his career for most in a season (102 in 2021). In addition, Semien picked up his ninth multi-hit game in September and forty-third of the season.
Texas snapped a nine game winless series streak with Thursday's win and the series victory over the Angels.
Thursday was the third time Martín allowed three or more runs since April 17th to an AL West opponent (thirteen starts). The two previous times both came against the Houston Astros.
All three of the Angels' runs came with two outs. They entered the afternoon 27th in MLB with a .221 batting average with two outs.
Thirteen of Corey Seager's thirty-two homers have come against left-handed pitching. It's the third most in Rangers history. Joey Gallo in 2018 and Rafael Palmeiro in 2003 had fifteen.
The Rangers have played less than three hour games in four straight contests
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