Up 7-0, Texas Rangers on losing end of an Opening Day comeback not seen since 1950
The first game for the new-look Texas Rangers was memorable, though not for the right reasons.
The Rangers’ season opener saw them score early and often as they built a 7-0 lead through their first four at-bats. But the Blue Jays rallied, outscoring the Rangers 10-1 the rest of the way, handing Texas an improbable 10-8 loss at Toronto’s Rogers Centre Friday night.
History was made as this was only the third game in 121 years that a team won its first game of the season after trailing by at least seven runs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The 1950 New York Yankees erased a 9-0 deficit to top the Boston Red Sox, 15-10, at Fenway Park, and the 1901 Detroit Tigers clawed their way back from a 10-run hole to nip the Milwaukee Brewers, 14-13.
Still, even though the Blue Jays took a 8-7 advantage, Rangers center fielder Adolis Garcia’s home run in the top of the seventh tied the game. But Toronto left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr’s RBI double in the bottom of the frame and a home run by catcher Danny Jansen in the eighth gave the Blue Jays the winning two-run margin.
Offense was not a problem early on as the Rangers plated four runs in the first inning, and those four runs were scored by players who were not with the team last year.
Left fielder Brad Miller led off the game with a home run, becoming the third Rangers player to go deep in his first at-bat of the season. Second baseman Marcus Semien, who was with the Blue Jays last year, walked and moved to third on shortstop’s Corey Seager’s single. A wild pitch scored Semien and moved Seager to second before catcher Mitch Garver walked. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe singled in Seager, and Garver scored on Andy Ibanez’s fielder’s choice.
Rangers starer Jon Gray faced the minimum nine batters through three innings, but a blister on his middle finger meant an early call to the bullpen, which couldn’t protect the lead as the Blue Jays scored at least one run in every inning, starting with three in the fourth. Dennis Santana took the loss.
“I kind of blame myself for not covering it up or doing something with it,” said Gray, who was later placed on the 10-day disabled list. “I understand. I don’t want it to get worse. I’d hate to miss the next start. I totally understand coming out there.”
For the first time since the pandemic, a capacity crowd of 45,022 packed in to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Jays in Toronto. They erupted when a video review ruled Teoscar Hernández beat Garver’s tag at the plate on the Gurriel double that put Toronto ahead 9-8.
“I felt like I got my feet into home plate and he tagged me on top but it was really close,” Hernández said. “I couldn’t tell. Luckily I got safe. There’s not a better moment in a game like that.”
Even though Seager’s relay throw beat Hernández to the plate, Rangers manager Chris Woodward didn’t fault Garver for not getting the tag down more quickly.
“If he had attacked that ball, it may have been a tough hop to catch, so he secured the baseball first,” Woodward said. “It was an inch, out or safe. I thought he did a pretty good job.”
Rangers call-up Patton. The Rangers called up Spencer Patton from Triple-A Round Rock following Gray’s move to the DL. Patton had a 6.75 ERA (4 ER over 5.1 innings) in six Cactus League appearances. He went 2-2 with a 3.83 ERA and two saves over 42 relief appearances for the Rangers last season after joining the team June 9.
Rangers fall on Saturday. As with Friday night, the top of the order did most of the damage in Saturday afternoon’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Semien, Seager and Lowe drove in runs in the third inning to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead, but Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette smacked a 425-foot homer to even the game in fifth off starter Dane Dunning. The Jays pushed across the eventual game-winning run an inning later when second baseman Santiago Espinal, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for Cavan Biggio, rapped an RBI double to deep left-center field off Brett Martin (0-1).
The Rangers will conclude the series in Toronto on Sunday at 12:37 p.m. and then come home to face at Colorado Rockies in their home opener at Globe Life Field Monday at 3:05 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
This story was originally published April 9, 2022 at 6:09 AM.