ARLINGTON — In an effort to prioritize transparency, accuracy and honesty, a correction must be issued.
The Rangers are not 0 and 15 when they allow multiple runs in the first inning of games this season.
Game analysis, pitching updates and key developments on the Rangers, from roster moves to team storylines.
Well, not anymore, at least.
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The Rangers rallied from a five-run first-inning deficit in a 9-7 win vs. the San Diego Padres at Globe Life Field Friday night, responded immediately in each of the innings that they were scored upon, turned in their largest come-from-behind victory of the year and bucked a recent trend in which early holes had been fatal flaws. They are now 1 and 15 when they allow multiple runs in the first inning this season, and after right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom gave up five to the Padres before he rallied for an impressive finish, the Rangers now have a league-worst 7.56 ERA in the first frame of games.
That’s to say that the central issue has yet to be solved, and as deGrom said, “we as a whole starting staff have to do better in the first inning.”
Their offensive counterparts may now know how to approach the situation if, or when, it happens again, though.
“It was a much-needed win,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “The comeback was what this team needed to show that they can do this and they’re capable of doing this, especially when a crooked number is given up in the first, because that’s going to happen again. I promise you there’s going to be a couple runs given up again in the first inning. What are we going to do about it? How are we going to respond?”
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Schumaker acknowledged that the Rangers discussed a response plan for these exact scenarios after they lost four games in less than a week in which multiple runs were allowed in the first inning, and while he “didn’t think it was going to happen today,” the message relayed in Friday’s hitter meeting resonated. Third baseman Josh Jung described the conversation as a call and challenge for “extra energy,” especially from those in the dugout, after hypothetical early deficits. Schumaker, per outfielder Alejandro Osuna, said: “Hey guys, fire up, please, the guys on the bench, the pitchers, support each other.”
“That’s what we did today,” Osuna said, “and we had a really good result.”
Or, as Jung said when the Rangers took their first at-bats down five runs, “this is basically Skip’s challenge and it’s happening again right now.”
If energy, fire and support could be distilled into an on-field product, high-quality team-oriented at-bats might be the result. Three of the team’s five first-inning hits were off of Padres right-handed pitcher Randy Vásquez’ curveball, which opponents had hit just .188 against this season, and they reached base five times in two-strike counts.
Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson chopped a curveball into play and reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the first inning, and after Jung worked a five-pitch walk, right fielder Brandon Nimmo hit a middle-middle cutter off of the home bullpen wall to plate one run. Shortstop Ezequiel Duran turned an 0-2 count into a walk in the next at-bat and loaded the bases before Osuna slapped a curveball that was practically in the dirt down the right field line for a two-run double. First baseman Jake Burger pulled another curveball down the left field line for a double that tied the game, and after second baseman Nicky Lopez hit a two-strike single back up the middle, catcher Elías Díaz legged out an infield single and drove in the go-ahead run.
“The quality of contact on some really tough pitches [was impressive],” Schumaker said. “Whether it was Jake Burger, or Osuna, these were not easy pitches to hit and sometimes behind the count against a guy who has three different shapes to his fastball and a really good curveball. It was a really good job of staying within themselves and not trying to hit a five-run home run.”
The five-run home run play, believe it or not, was not suggested in the hitter’s meeting.
“It’s baseball, it’s going to happen, but you can’t try harder, that never works,” said outfielder Wyatt Langford, who hit a go-ahead double in the sixth inning after the Padres tied the game the frame prior, an insurance home run in the eight and has four multiple-hit starts in the last week. “That makes it a lot worse. We just talked about not giving up. We don’t want to do that. No one in here wants to give up when we’re down a bunch of runs.”
They’ll now need to extract what worked for one inning and inject it into the lineup on a regular basis. The Rangers selected the contract of outfielder Jarred Kelenic and optioned second baseman Josh Smith to Triple-A Round Rock before the game with a recognition that “we need to get going,” as Schumaker said, and could activate shortstop Corey Seager from the concussion injured list before this series is over.
That all might help.
Energy, fire and support could go just as far.