September 9, 2022 - Game 137
W - Tim Mayza (6-0)
L - José Leclerc (0-2)
S- Jordan Romano (32)
HR: TEX: Jung (1); TOR: Bichette (23)
Time of Game: 2:49
Game Recap
After a rough road trip (1-6), the Rangers head home for one of the more anticipated nights of the season. The third baseman, Josh Jung, made his debut on Friday night in what Texas Rangers fans, himself, and the organization has waited for. "I came out and was unconscious; finally hit the best I've ever hit in my life coming off surgery," Josh Jung said. "Didn't get the call up which is fine. It's all going to happen in perfect time. I was like I was going to do more, and when I did more, I did way less. That was the biggest learning point for me was when I set those expectations too high for myself." Dane Dunning took the hill for the Rangers against former Los Angeles Dodgers starter Ross Stripling.
Toronto scored on a Bo Bichette RBI fielders' choice to start the game. George Springer started the game with an infield hit and advanced to second on a Dunning error. Springer ended up scoring on the Bichette fielders' choice. Toronto added two more on Bichette's two-run home run to the Rangers bullpen extending the Toronto lead to 3-0. In the bottom of the third, fireworks started as Josh Jung scraped the left field wall in his first MLB at-bat. "I don't think I was concious running around the bases," Josh said. "Just put a good swing on it. It was crazy [and] a good start. Just have to keep going." It was a two-strike changeup that was right down the heart of the plate, and Jung got enough of the ball and the open roof to get it out. Toronto loaded the bases in the sixth, but Santiago Espinal popped out to Jung to keep the game within two runs.
With one hit entering the sixth, the Rangers got a double by Marcus Semien and an RBI single by Corey Seager. It closed the gap to 3-2 Toronto. However, Nathaniel Lowe lined out to the second baseman to end the chance to tie the game. After Adam Cimber records the first two outs, he hit Leody Taveras in the groin, and Jung singled Taveras to third. As Jung stole second, Josh Smith struck out to end another Rangers' scoring opportunity. Bubba Thompson led off the eighth with a double, moved to third, and scored on Seager's RBI double to tie the game up at three. Quickly after the Blue Jays retook the lead in the ninth with Danny Jansen's single scoring Ramiel Tapia. The Rangers had Leody at second base, but Jung struck out and Adolis García flew out to end the night for the Rangers. "Just came up a little short. Sounds like a broken record, but we are competing and fighting every night. Just need to find a way to get that one more hit or prevent that one more run," Tony Beasley said.
Dane Dunning struggled with command on Friday. He got into some deep counts, but the two walks came in the sixth inning. Overall, Dunning went 5.2 innings and allowed seven hits, three runs, and five strikeouts in the evening. "I thought early on they were fortunate with a couple of infield singles," Dunning said. "They had a good approach going. I threw [Bichette] a good slider on a 1-1 count and it was below the zone and he went down and got it. For the most part I felt pretty good. I felt like I attacked them well. I probably could have landed a few more sliders. Other that that, it was decent."
Dennis Santana came in for Dunning to clean up the sixth and keep the game close. Santana got a popout and left the bases loaded in his work on Friday. Brock Burke allowed two hits including a triple, but didn't yield a run. Burke struck out three in his two inning outing. José Leclerc walked the lead off hitter, Tapia, and he wound up scoring. Leclerc allowed one hit and one walk in his one inning.
Postgame Notes
Josh Jung is the 2nd player in team history to homer in his first MLB at-bat. Jurickson Profar did it on September 2nd, 2012, at Cleveland.
Jonah Heim threw out two baserunners on Friday. It's Heim's first career two caught stealing where Heim threw out two runners. Jonah's other two caught stealing game came on April 26th vs. the Astros, but Taylor Hearn picked off Chas McCormick
27 of 35 inherited runners have stranded this season against Dennis Santana (77.1%).
Marcus Semien has an extra-base hit in five of his last seven games (four doubles and a home run).
The Corey Seager RBI single in the sixth snapped a 0 for 25 stretch.
Rangers Blue Jays
Dane Dunning's 6.67 ERA in the first inning is third highest among MLB starters. He only trails Cole Irvin of Oakland (7.56) and Patrick Corbin of Washington (8.23).
Josh Jung entered the night with seven career minor league stolen bases and seven college-level stolen bases. He stole second base in the seventh on Friday, his second of 2022 (August 9th against Oklahoma City).
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