Post-Game Notes: Rangers 3, White Sox 2
TEXAS snapped a 3-game losing streak with its first win of August and first on this homestand, now 1-3 against BAL (0-3) and CWS (1-0 + 3 G)...earned 1st home win since 7/13 vs. OAK, snapping 7-game drought that was club’s longest home skid since moving to Globe Life Field…improves to 3-1 vs. CWS in 2022 and will look to clinch the season series with a win tomorrow night.
COLE RAGANS held the White Sox to one run, which was unearned, on 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 3 over 5.0 innings in his Major League debut…became just the 10th pitcher in Rangers history to log 5.0+ IP without allowing an earned run in a ML debut, 1st since A.J. Alexy on 8/30/21 (W, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R)…stranded the bases loaded to avoid damage in a 26-pitch 1st inning which featured his 1st career strikeout (Eloy Jiménez)…allowed lone run in the 3rd inning when Luis Robert worked a leadoff walk and eventually scored following an error on a dropped fly ball (Adolis García).
NATHANIEL LOWE doubled in each of his first 2 plate appearances to extend his career-best 11-game hitting streak, matching the longest hit streak by a Ranger this season (also 11, Adolis García from 6/17-29)…the 4th-inn. double was clocked with a game-high exit velocity of 112.2 mph, the hardest-hit base hit by a Texas batter in 2022 (Statcast)…his 32 multi-hit games this season lead all Rangers, as he is already just multi-hit games shy of matching his career high (38 in 2021)…Lowe is batting .338 (22-65) with 9 extra-base hits (3 HR, 5 2B, 3B) in 16 G since the All-Star break.
BROCK BURKE earned the win (now 6-2) after he retired 6 of 7 batters faced, including 4 strikeouts, over 2.0 shutout innings in relief, his MLB-leading 20th scoreless relief appearance of 4+ outs this season…it was also his 16th scoreless relief outing with 2.0+ SHO IP, the most in MLB and most by a Ranger in a single season since Greg Harris in 1986 (17)…pitched tonight on his 26th birthday, becoming just the 4th pitcher in club history to log 2.0+ scoreless relief innings on his birthday, 1st since Wes Littleton on 9/2/07 at LAA (2.0 SHO IP)…Burke over his last 28 G (beg. 5/1): 0.82 ERA (5 R-4 ER/44.0 IP), 42 SO/10 BB, .192 opp. BA.
COREY SEAGER finished with 2 hits, including a ground-rule double in the 6th inning, extending his home on-base streak to 15 consecutive games…Seager’s 37 career extra-base hits at Globe Life Field, incl. 2020 Postseason w/ LAD, trail only Adolis García (50) for the facility’s all-time lead.
CHICAGO-AL lost tonight’s road trip opener after winning 4 of the final 5 G on their just-completed homestand…club is still 12-7 in last 19 G…tonight was just the club’s 3rd loss in last 9 road games, as the Sox have gone 16-9 in their last 27 away contests since 6/4.
JOHNNY CUETO posted his 7th consecutive quality start, but took his 1st loss since 6/23 vs. BAL...had been 3-0 in last 6 starts...pitched all 8.0 IP for his 18th career complete game and the 1st complete game by a Sox pitcher in 2022…matched his longest outing of the season, also 8.0 SHO IP on 7/9 vs. DET...marked his 1st complete game since 9/15/16 vs. STL while still with the Giants.
MISCELLANEOUS: Bubba Thompson, who made his MLB debut tonight in a start as the left fielder, recorded his 1st career hit on a bunt single in the 7th inning…Meibrys Viloria put Texas in front, 2-1, with a go-ahead RBI single in the 7th inning, his 1st career pinch hit…entering tonight, the White Sox had won 15 of their last 17 G when facing a left-handed starting pitcher...tonight was just the 2nd time since the start of July for the Rangers to win a game when scoring 3-or-fewer runs (also 2-0 win last Thurs. at LAA)...the last such win at home?: 6/25 vs. WAS (3-2 walk-off win).
