Despite loss, Rangers fans still believe

For the first time since Josh Hamilton last played for the Texas Rangers, Jeff Power was wearing his red Hamilton jersey Monday afternoon in the sun-baked left-field stands.

Power wasn’t ready to forgive Hamilton for the way he left the team in 2012, but he was hoping the left fielder would have a breakout game and lead the Rangers to victory.

Power, like thousands of Rangers fans, went home disappointed as the Rangers lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4.

The Colony resident wasn’t invoking Hamilton’s name as he looked ahead to Wednesday afternoon’s deciding game in Toronto. No, he decided instead to quote Yogi Berra.

“What did Yogi say: ‘It ain’t over until it’s over?’ ” Power said. “Anything can happen in baseball. I say they have a 50-50 chance to win Wednesday.”

On a hot Columbus Day, Rangers fans on Monday had little to cheer about as their team’s bats went ice cold until it was too late.

Fans came to Globe Life Park in Arlington hoping to enjoy a day off with a little winning playoff baseball.

Instead, they chomped on brisket tacos, hot dogs and other fare, and watched their club’s chances of closing out the series against the Blue Jays go up in smoke. As Rangers fans filed out, they had to listen as several hundred Toronto fans cheered “Let’s go, Blue Jays” behind the team’s dugout.

Despite the throngs of sunburned faces that went home dejected as the game ended at 6:25 p.m., most fans held onto an optimistic view about the Rangers’ chances of winning Game 5.

For friends John James and Dylan David, both 16 and from Prosper, the game was a chance to get out of town on a no-school day and have some fun.

Plus, James just got his driver’s license, so it was a chance to catch a game without a ride from his folks.

The duo decided to go to the game Monday morning after finding tickets for just $16 each on a ticket resale smartphone application known as Gametime. Their seats were in the sun, in the left-field upper deck.

“The Rangers will win Game 5,” James proclaimed without hesitation. Toronto “already pitched David Price today, and he’s their best pitcher.”

Brothers Larry and Dean Carrington, retired Paris residents who make the 2.5-hour drive to the ballpark several times each year, had similar sentiments.

“Oh, yeah, we’re winning Game 5,” said Larry Carrington, a retired prison guard.

His brother added: “This was a must-win game for them, and they played like it.”

“We used our best pitchers up there, and that’s how we got the first two games.”

Larry Carrington summarized: “We’re not worried. We’re a lot better than them.”

Fort Worth resident John Michael, who has followed the Rangers since they moved to Arlington from Washington, D.C., was less concerned about the Rangers’ pitching than the team’s hitting. He was hoping a trip north of border might help.

“They need to find their bats,” Michael said. “Maybe they left them up there?”

But Michael was already satsified regardless of what happens in Toronto.

“I’m a little bit nervous, but I’m really proud of this team,” Michael said. “It’s a great season even if it ends on Wednesday.”

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 7:59 PM with the headline "Despite loss, Rangers fans still believe."