Texas Rangers Take Pride in Bouncing Back from Tough Losses

Dane Dunning owns a unique perspective on Friday’s deflating loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The Texas Rangers right-hander spent the first month of the season in the bullpen before making a spot start in Jacob deGrom’s place to open the 10-game road trip.

Rangers relievers faltered down the stretch, giving up five runs in Angels’ final three at-bats. Los Angeles won 5-4 in 10 innings.

“We all try to pull from the same direction,” Dunning said of the ‘pen. “We try to do the best we can. It’s just certain scenarios, a team gets hot at the right moment and the momentum sways. Just got to bite down and finish it.”

Dunning delivered five scoreless innings, leaving with the Rangers up 3-0. The lead was 4-0 going into the bottom of the eighth. That’s when it started to fall apart for Texas.

Rangers reliever Jonathan Hernandez gave up a run-scoring single to Mike Trout to make it 4-1. Still, closer Will Smith had a three-run cushion to work with in the ninth.

Manager Bruce Bochy recently tabbed Smith the primary closer over struggling José Leclerc. Smith had his fifth save in sight Friday, with two outs and a just one runner on base.

Three consecutive hits followed, as the Angels tied it 4-4. Smith came out for the 10th and got one out. With a runner at third, Bochy turned to Josh Sborz. His wild pitch scored the winning run for Los Angeles.

The bullpen has blown five saves this season.

“You got to get 27 outs. We just couldn’t do it,” Bochy said. “That’s what’s disappointing about it. We couldn’t score in the 10th and that put pressure on us.

“It’s another one that we did let get away, but we’ve got a lot of baseball [to play] and we’ve just got to keep bouncing back. This team has done it and we’ve got to keep doing it from these tough losses.”

Dunning also alluded to that ability to rebound. The Rangers were swept on the road by the Cincinnati Reds last week in a series that featured multiple bullpen meltdowns.

“We had a bad stint in the city that shall not be named and we were able to bounce back well after that,” Dunning said. “We come in the locker room ready. We come in hungry to get back out there. It’s been a good environment.”

Texas did go on a four-game winning streak soon after leaving Cincinnati, but has lost its last two. Both setbacks did have blown leads by the bullpen.

Dunning doesn’t seem concerned.

“If you just look at the attitude in the clubhouse after games, really the next day, especially after a loss, it’s been completely different from the years before,” Dunning said. “The team has a lot more attitude now, a lot more confidence and it’s a lot more fun. That’s really what brings it all together.”

The Rangers (18-13) hope to snap their latest skid in Saturday’s 8:07 p.m. CT start. Nathan Eovaldi (3-2, 3.93) goes for Texas, while Reid Detmers (0-2, 4.85) is on the mound for the Angels (19-14).

The Rangers and Angels are tied for first in the American League West.

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