April 8, 2022 - Game 1
W - Adam Cimber (1-0)
L - Dennis Santana (0-1)
S - Jordan Romano (1)
HR: TEX - Miller (1), Garver (1) García (1) TOR: Hernández (1), Jansen (1)
Time of Game: 3:26
Game Recap
The Rangers saw a 5-0 lead or larger evaporate for the second straight season on Opening Day. Texas had Blue Jays’ starter, José Berríos, on his heel all first inning. Berríos threw thirty-four pitches, faced seven batters, and only recorded one out while allowing four earned runs and two walks. It was the shortest outing of his career and the second time in his big league career; Berríos couldn’t finish a first inning in a start. One of the newer Rangers, Brad Miller, got business going with a first-inning home run. Then after Marcus Semien and Corey Seager reached base, Mitch Garver battled and walked on a ten-pitch at-bat. The inning continued with a Nathaniel Lowe RBI single and a fielders’ choice, ending a four-run first explosion. Texas then added two more in the second and a run in the fourth.
"There were some great at-bats," Chris Woodward said. "These guys followed the game plan, we did a heck of a job against Berríos to get him out of there. Our at-bat quality was phenomenal." Euphoria was in the heads of Rangers, and then chaos happened.
Toronto’s offense is no joke but came out stiff against the Rangers’ Opening Day starter, Jon Gray. Gray faced the minimum through three innings, allowed a hit to Danny Jansen, but erased on a double play. Then the fourth inning happened, and Gray ended the fourth, looking at his middle finger. Rangers' skipper Chris Woodward said Gray was dealing with an issue on his right middle finger and couple that with coming close to his pitch limit, Woodward lifted Gray for precautionary purposes. He allowed three runs, and Gray’s night ended. The Rangers’ bullpen, viewed as a strength, fell flat tonight with two runs allowed by John King, three by Josh Sborz, and a run charged to Dennis Santana and Greg Holland. The only run Texas scored in the 10-1 run to finish the game by Toronto was an Adolis García opposite-field solo home run in the seventh.
"We have to limit the walks," Woodward said after the game. "They're a talented offensive team, we can't issue them free passes. We have to do a better job in executing in those moments to their best hitters." Rangers' pitchers allowed five walks on Friday, all five came between the fourth and seventh innings. Texas waked four times in the first four innings and walked one time after the fourth inning. Both teams come back Saturday afternoon at 3:07 Eastern/ 2:07 Central. It'll be Dane Dunning taking the mound for Texas against Kevin Gausman for the Blue Jays.
Postgame Notes
The Blue Jays led MLB last year in AVG, SLG, and OPS with two outs. They scored six runs with two outs on Friday. Toronto was fifth in MLB in runs scored with two outs in 2021.
Texas Rangers fans have witnessed back-to-back seasons where a starter did not make it out of the first inning on Opening Day. In 2021, it was Kyle Gibson, and in 2022 it was José Berríos.
Brad Miller became the third Rangers player to hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day, joining Ian Kinsler in 2011 and Oddibe McDowell in 1987.
Friday was Jon Gray’s third career Opening Day start. He pitched four innings and allowed three runs. All three of Gray’s Opening Day starts lasted four innings (2017, 2019, 2022).
The Rangers didn’t strike out until the first out in the ninth inning when Jordan Romano struck out Corey Seager. It would have been the first game in eleven years where the Rangers’ offense had a game where the team didn’t strike out once.
Mitch Garver's second inning home run went 447 feet, the longest home run of his career.
Tonight's Opening Day was the first time in Rangers history for the club to score multiple runs in each of the first 2 innings in a season opener.
It was the second career outing where Blue Jays starter, José Berríos, didn't make it out of the first inning. The other came in 2016, his fourth career MLB outing (May 16 at DET). He allowed seven runs and recorded two outs that day.
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