Rangers Bats Ice Cold, Shutout Again in Third Straight Loss
ARLINGTON, Texas — While the Texas Rangers took little time to avoid yet another no-hitter with a Nick Solak single in the first inning, they still couldn't manage to push a run across the plate for the second straight game.
The Rangers fell to the New York Yankees for the third straight game, losing by a score of 2-0 once again. What's more, you have to go back to the sixth inning of Tuesday night's 7-4 loss to see the last time the Rangers scored a run.
"I'm not saying we backed down today," said Rangers manager Chris Woodward. "It just wasn't representative of our style of play. We're usually the aggressor. We talk about it all the time. Be aggressive. Apply pressure. I felt like we just didn't do that as much today."
To pour some salt on the wound, Rangers starter Dane Dunning pitched brilliantly for six shutout innings. Though Dunning was only at 79 pitches, Woodward opted to go to his bullpen in the seventh inning. The Rangers skipper has been open about preserving Dunning's health since he is coming off 34 total innings in two years due to Tommy John surgery.
"Getting him to 80 pitches, he hasn't really been that far past that," Woodward said. "Dane did his job. If we send him back out and we go get him right away if something happens, why do that? [John] King's been one of our best guys. Six scoreless. I can't ask much more from him."
Unfortunately, King was not able to keep the game scoreless. Gio Urshela came in as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and drove in a run with a single. Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single of his own. That was all the Bronx Bombers needed with the Rangers lineup going cold.
The Rangers, now 19-27, will welcome the Houston Astros (25-18) to Globe Life Field this weekend. Just last week, Houston swept the Rangers in four games. Texas will have their ace in Kyle Gibson (3-0, 2.32 ERA) on the mound for the first game of the series on Friday, who has handily been the best pitcher in the Texas rotation.
Roster Move
After the conclusion on Thursday's game, the Rangers optioned Andy Ibáñez to Triple-A Round Rock. There will be a corresponding move on Friday, which will likely be Brock Holt's return from the Injured List.
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