Rotation keyed Rangers’ sweep over Mariners. Now what?

Cole Hamels capped a terrific three-game series Thursday for the Texas Rangers’ rotation, which allowed only five runs in 20  1/3 innings in a sweep of the Seattle Mariners.

That’s a nifty 2.21 ERA — Cleveland Indians-esque stuff from Martin Perez, Andrew Cashner and Hamels, who was the best of the bunch Thursday in allowing one run in eight innings.

Now what?

Those hoping for a three-man rotation were out of luck Friday, when the Rangers turned to Nick Martinez in the opener of a three-game series against the Oakland A’s. Fellow right-hander Miguel Gonzalez is scheduled to start Saturday before the rotation turns back to the Rangers’ version of the holy trinity.

With 10 games remaining and their deficit for the second wild card only 2  1/2 games, the Rangers will see Martinez and Gonzalez pitch four times. Every game is a must-win, and that duo have as much on their shoulders as Perez, Cashner and Hamels.

The Rangers need Martinez and Gonzalez to be at their best.

“Miguel and Nick and possibly Griff [A.J. Griffin],” manager Jeff Banister said. “Those guys have to go out and pitch and get out and get us in position where we can win some baseball games.”

Martinez said that he doesn’t view his September starts as pressure-packed. He tries to treat them like any other start, though he admits that it’s more fun pitching in meaningful games.

The goal, though, is the same in September as in May.

“The objective every game is to win,” said Martinez, who entered with a 5.47 ERA this season in 17 starts/22 appearances. “I understand we’re fighting for something, but I’m not going to put any extra pressure on myself. It’s more fun. Every pitch is intense, and the crowd is into it.”

The Rangers had lost Martinez’s past six starts, including here Aug. 25 in one of his better starts. He allowed three runs in seven innings, two in the seventh with the game tied 1-1, but he has fared well against the A’s in his career with a 2.71 ERA in 63 innings.

Gonzalez, though, has a 4.82 career ERA against Oakland, though in only 18  2/3 innings. He hasn’t faced them since 2015.

After two stinkers in his first two starts after being acquired from the Chicago White Sox, Gonzalez allowed one run in five innings Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed only two hits but walked five, but it was a marked improvement.

His goal against the A’s is to pitch to contact and get early outs. He said that is when he is at his best.

Gonzalez also has a benchmark to meet. He doesn’t want to be the weakest link in the rotation after watching what Perez, Cashner and Hamels did this week against the Mariners.

“It pumps me up,” Gonzalez said. “It makes you that much better and focused, and you just feel that adrenaline coming.”

Pitching in a playoff race also is giving Gonzalez some extra motivation.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Gonzalez said. “That’s what you want to be, and you have an opportunity to do it. We’re pretty excited. We have to keep winning ballgames. That’s all that matters. I’m excited. We’re on a run, so let’s just keep this going.”

The Rangers were forced to acquire Gonzalez after they finally gave up on Tyson Ross. Martinez was their choice to be the No. 5 starter after Griffin’s performance started to decline.

Martinez started the opener of a three-game series against the power-happy A’s. Gonzalez gets Game 2 before the rotation returns to the Rangers’ version of the holy trinity.

The Rangers might not be able to reach the postseason if Martinez and Gonzalez aren’t at their best.

“We need some quality baseball from the supporting cast,” Banister said.

This story was originally published September 22, 2017 at 8:44 PM with the headline "Rotation keyed Rangers’ sweep over Mariners. Now what?."