Texas Rangers dismiss losing streak, New York Yankees ace, fans with second-inning spark
Monday’s series opener against the New York Yankees did not exactly have the hallmarks of a losing streak-snapping night for the Texas Rangers.
In fact, it quickly appeared headed for a lopsided Yankees win after three first-inning singles against Jordan Lyles gave New York a quick lead and starter Gerrit Cole dispensed with the Rangers on three swinging strikeouts after Willie Calhoun’s leadoff double in the bottom of the inning.
Adding to the apparent mismatch was Cole breaking an MLB record for consecutive strikeouts without a walk when he got Joey Gallo swinging to end the 1st.
And adding still to all of the negative energy for the Rangers was the Yankees’ traveling band of bandwagon fans making themselves heard every time a Bronx Bomber adjusted himself at the plate. It sounded as if half the 28,040 in attendance were rooting for New York.
It was all a little much. And we were only an inning into the four-game series of the Yankees’ lone visit to Globe Life Field.
But the Rangers, mired in a season-worst six-game losing streak — all on the road — erupted in the second inning and put an end to the skid with a 5-2 win over the Yankees.
Adolis Garcia led off with a game-tying home run and David Dahl and Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with consecutive doubles. Jose Trevino singled to cap the three-run inning. In the next inning, Cole walked Joey Gallo to end his record strikeout run at 61.
By then, the Yankees fans had quieted down inside the closed-roofed Globe Life.
“No, it doesn’t bother me at all,” Garcia said of hearing Yankees cheers. “They have fans, we have fans. All we care about is our fans.”
Cole was gone after five innings after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks. Four of the seven hits went for extra bases.
The Rangers added runs in the fifth and sixth innings, including Calhoun’s solo homer in the fifth and Garcia’s steal of home on the back end of a double steal with Dahl in the sixth. Luke Voit’s solo homer in the eighth cut the deficit to 5-2 but Ian Kennedy pitched a perfect ninth to earn his American League-leading 11th save.
Lyles said he was unaware the losing streak had reached six games and was unfazed by the sound of Yankees cheers in the Rangers’ ballpark.
“No, not really. Obviously, everyone knows their history and how well they travel,” said Lyles, who earned the win after allowing one run in six innings. “It’s a major league game; there’s careers on the line. You got to worry about yourself. Those little things don’t get people out of their comfort zone, I don’t believe.”
This story was originally published May 17, 2021 at 10:15 PM.
