Thoughts on a 6-5 Rangers win

Rangers 6, Asttos 5

• So, basically, we have had a repeat of the Angels series immediately preceding.
• I discussed in the previous two thoughts posts how each of those games mirrored the corresponding game in the Anaheim series.
• Well, the same thing happened again. This game mirrored the final game of the Anaheim series.
• The Rangers got out to a lead, the opposition had a big seventh inning, and then the Rangers walked it off in the ninth.
• Big ups to MacKenzie Gore, the starter in the Wednesday blowout by Anaheim, who volunteered to make the start on short rest with Jacob deGrom unavailable.
• Gore gave the Rangers 65 pitches over four innings, allowing just a Jose Altuve home run.
• Of course, that left five innings to be covered by the bullpen, which is often problematic.
• Such was the case here. Tyler Alexander and Cole Winn combined to give the Rangers a pair of scoreless innings. That was followed by Robby Ahlstrom and Peyton Gray combining to allow three runs in one inning, allowing the Astros to tie up the game.
• Ben Peoples then gave up a homer in the eighth to Cam Smith to put the Astros ahead by one.
• Ultimately, the fact that we are asking Robby Ahlstrom, Peyton Gray and Ben Peoples to pitch late in high leverage situations is the real problem, and one would expect to see Chris Young & Co. acquiring some relief arms later this month.
• It all worked out, though. Kyle Higashioka homered in the 8th. Wyatt Langford, Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo all singled in the ninth, off of Josh Hader, no less. The winning run scored, and we all could be happy.
• Texas is up 1.5 games in the West on Seattle, and 3 on Houston. The Wild Card race has tightened up somewhat, with Seattle and Minnesota tied for WC3, and Boston just a half-game back of them. The White Sox and Guardians are tied in the A.L. Central and for WC2, and I keep waiting for the ChiSox to fall off, but they haven’t.
• Last year, the Rangers went into the break 8.5 games back in the division, 3.5 games back of WC3.
• The Rangers are in a better place this year.
• MacKenzie Gore hit 96.9 mpg with his fastball, averaging 95.3 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 92.9 mph with his fastball. Cole Winn reached 91.5 mph with his cutter. Robby Ahlstrom’s fastball reached 96.5 mph. Peyton Gray’s fastball touched 94.6 mph. Ben Peoples maxed out at 98.2 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz hit 95.1 mph with his fastball.
• Elias Diaz had a 107.0 mph groundout. Kyle Higashioka had a 106.7 mph home run. Evan Carter had a 105.0 mph groundout and a 102.1 mph double. Josh Jung had a 102.5 mph triple. Brandon Nimmo had a 102.3 mph groundout. Wyatt Langford had a 102.0 mph fly out and a 100.3 mph groundout.
• It’s the All Star Break. The Rangers are a game and a half up. Smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em.