‘We’ve got to figure it out.’ Reeling Texas Rangers blanked again by New York Yankees.
The New York Yankees have left Globe Life Field, and won’t return until next season.
Technically, it’s possible they could return in 2021 for a postseason series, but they still have issues to overcome.
(Insert rim shot here.)
So do the Texas Rangers.
The Yankees headed to their charter flight Thursday evening having won three of four games this week over the Rangers, including in a no-hitter Wednesday night by former Rangers pitcher Corey Kluber.
New York capped its series win with a 2-0 Thursday matinee victory, sending the Rangers to their ninth loss in 10 games. Up next are the Houston Astros, who swept the Rangers in four games last weekend.
If the Rangers weren’t reeling after that series, they are after this one. The loss sent them to a season-worst eight games below .500 (19-27).
“I don’t think you can avoid the frustration,” manager Chris Woodward said. “That’s just baseball.”
The Rangers won the opener of the series 5-2, beating Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. New York overcame a 3-0 deficit Tuesday in Game 2 to win 7-4, and won 2-0 behind Kluber’s gem that marked the second time the Rangers have been no-hit this season.
The Rangers will enter the opener of the three-game series against the Astros riding a 22-inning scoreless drought. The good news is that the Rangers’ best pitcher, Kyle Gibson, will be on the mound against right-hander Tyler Ivey, who will be making his MLB debut.
Pitching hasn’t been the main problem for the Rangers during their swoon, which started May 10. Six of the nine losses have been by one or two runs, and the staff has posted a 4.15 ERA.
Rookie right-hander Dane Dunning allowed only four hits in six scoreless innings, but the Yankees scored two in the seventh against left-hander John King.
The Rangers’ offense didn’t get no-hit again, but only one of their six hits went for extra bases. The one time the Rangers put together multiple hits in the same inning, in the fourth after singles by Joey Gallo and Adolis Garcia, Yankees right-hander Domingo German snuffed out the threat.
The Rangers are averaging only 2.6 runs per game and batting only .188 (60 for 319) in losing nine of 10.
“Just keep playing hard, keep working on a daily basis on the things we need to be working on,” second baseman Nick Solak said. “We’re playing a lot of close games. We’re not getting blown out. It’s just a timely hit here, or a big play there.”
Maybe it happens Friday. It needs to for the reeling Rangers.
“Nine out of 10 games losing ... we’ve got to figure it out,” Woodward said.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 5:10 PM.
