Fans before a game on opening day (Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers, who still remain in control of the AL West, squared off in a losing effort against the New York Yankees for the conclusion of their three-game series on Sunday. Losses for them in Brooklyn are what tradition seems to prefer. After all, the Rangers haven’t won a series in New York since 2017.
It’s been a six-game away stretch for them as well. They’d won their previous six games including the first game against the Yankees, but they just weren’t going to let them take the series. Now the Rangers have dropped their last two, but at least they can take solace in knowing the other teams in the division are losing as well.
It didn’t take long for him to strike
This is not the same old Rangers. With big money off-season acquisitions, their roster is stacked in 2023. Marcus Semien is the leadoff hitter. He’s just coming out of a recent slump where he went 10 for 67 over the previous 15 games. Even with that he was ranked second in MLB in runs scored and third in hits with runners in scoring position before the game.
It didn’t take long for him to strike. In the first inning, Semien and his teammates were seemingly revved up and ready to have a big day. He got a double and was driven in with a looping hit to shallow center by way of Corey Seager. By the top of the second inning, the Rangers had extended their lead to by another two runs.
Gerrit Cole is the Yankees ace. He started and got outed from the game faster than in any other appearance on the season. Their win chance was steadily dropping. Then, during the bottom half of the same inning, they scored two runs to tighten up the score.
Yankees’ batters were hitting when it mattered, and they poured it on. Harrison Bader and DJ LeMahieu each had a pair of RBIs. Giancarlo Stanton had the other.
The Rangers piled up twelve hits but left a lot of guys stranded and couldn’t score after the second inning. A losing score of 5-3 indicated that it just wasn’t their day.
Baseball in Arlington has come a long way
With an eight-game home stretch coming up, they have the chance to right the ship. Four of those games are against the Astros who’ve just narrowed the lead to five and a half games with their win on Sunday.
Professional baseball in Arlington has come a long way this year. The fact that they’ve been in first place this long is something special, considering the company they keep.
Those troublesome Astros have been in charge since the Rangers last won the division in 2016 and they’re unwilling participants in handing over their rein. This season is gearing to be a nailbiter in the division. One thing is for certain, baseball is back in Texas.
