August 6, 2022 - Game 107
W - Dane Dunning (2-6)
L - Michael Kopech (4-8)
S- None
HR: TEX: Duran (3)
Time of Game: 3:00
Rangers Cowboy Hat Winner: Dane Dunning (2nd)
Game Recap
The Rangers and White Sox played game three of four Saturday after both teams split one-run wins. One key of note was Meibrys Viloria playing at catcher. While it wasn't out of the realm with the Rangers' stretch of games, I asked Chris Woodward earlier today if the hot streak Meibrys is on will give him a little more playing time with Jonah Heim getting some additional rest. "I think it's fair to Jonah. I've talked to our staff a lot about that just think that it might be a good little run where we can get Viloria in there while he's hot and give Jonah some breaks," Woody told me. "I think it's fair to him right now, especially in August, to give him a little bit of a recharge. At times or normally I would DH him [but] today [I'm] just get him off [and] get him off his feet." Saturday, Texas brought out Dane Dunning to face his former team, the White Sox.
It was a quiet two-plus between the two teams until Ezequiel Duran launched a ball to the Rangers bullpen for a solo home run. The homer clipped less than 400 feet, putting Texas up 1-0 leading off the third. Then with the bases loaded later in the inning, Adolis García grounded a two-run single to left field, extending the Rangers' lead to 3-0. In the fourth, Texas chased White Sox starter Michael Kopech and then reliever José Ruiz threw a wild pitch scoring Meibrys Viloria, making it 4-0.
In the seventh inning, the Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out against Tanner Banks. In typical Adolis fashion, he comes up clutch with a three-run double to left center field. It extended the Rangers' lead to 7-0. "I feel confident here at home," Adolis told me when I asked him what makes him good at Globe Life Field. "The fans they love me and cheer for me and makes me feel comfortable here and lets me play at my very best." After Viloria walked, Duran hit a 6-4 fielders' choice scoring García to cap off a four-run seventh. After Josh Smith struck out, benches cleared briefly as Josh Smith and Yasmani Grandal had some words. "[Josh] hit [Grandal]'s hand. It happens a lot, he hit him with the backswing and it happened a couple times and Grandal let him know." The Sox got a double in the ninth inning, but couldn't do anything with it. The Rangers picked up one of their most complete wins of the season Saturday.
There wasn't much more to say about Dane Dunning other than a near-perfect start. A squeaky single to short through the infield and a walk were the only blemishes on the night for Dane. Dunning threw seven shutout innings, striking out six on one-hundred and three pitches. That made Saturday the longest scoreless outing for Dane in his career. The previous was five shutout innings. Dunning pitched against the White Sox last year in April, but he struggled in that start allowing five runs in 2.2 innings. I asked Dane if that fell into his mind at all. "Definitely," Dunning responded. "In that last outing I think I gave up five in the third and ended up getting pulled in that situation," Dane said. "It was in my mind before hand, and being old teammates and on top of that not having a good outing against them last year. It was in my mind and that's why I was feverous going into the start."
Taylor Hearn finished the final two innings of the night. Hearn's stuff looked electric striking out the side in the eighth inning and closed it out the shutout in the ninth. Rangers manager Chris Woodward was adamant a few times in mentioning how good Taylor was, for good reason.
Postgame Notes
In the last four games, Texas Rangers starters are posting a 1.50 ERA allowing four runs in twenty-four innings (between Martín Pérez, Cole Ragans, Glenn Otto, and Dane Dunning).
The Rangers had the leadoff man every inning between the third and sixth (Duran homer, Viloria single, Seager walk, and Viloria single).
Meibrys Viloria is 7 for his last 13 with two home runs, four RBIs, and five runs scored.
The seventy-four pitches by Michael Kopech Saturday is the lowest pitch count in a start, excluding the one on June 12th where he left due to injury against the Rangers.
Adolis García is 9 for 19 in his career, with the bases loaded with twenty-seven RBIs. García is 5 for 8 this season, with the bases loaded with 16 RBIs.
Adolis picked up his fifth 5 RBI game in his career. All five of those games have been at Globe Life Field.
Saturday was Ezequiel Duran's first home run since June 12th at Chicago against the White Sox. Duran went eighty at-bats between home runs.
The Rangers had their second sellout of the season Saturday. The attendance was 38,275, which is the second largest attendance of the season (38,316 on May 1st vs. Braves).
Your #Tarlos Gif Reaction
Comments