Adolis García's 10th-inning heroics weren't enough as the Rangers fell 10-6 to the Orioles on July 1. See how Gunnar Henderson sealed the marathon game.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought you'd seen it all, the Texas Rangers found another gear for heart-stopping drama. For the fourth straight game, the Globe Life Field faithful got free baseball, but the ending was a familiar, painful one. Adolis García sent the ballpark into a frenzy with a game-tying, three-run homer in the 10th, only for the bullpen to falter in an eventual 10-6, 11-inning loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
The loss marked the Rangers' fourth consecutive extra-inning contest, tying a team record set in 2002.
The game was a wild, seesaw affair from the start. While the Orioles racked up 15 hits, with Ramon Laureano going 4-for-6, the Rangers scratched and clawed. The craziness peaked late. Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson looked to have won it with a two-run homer in the top of the 10th. But in the bottom of the frame, with two on and two out, Adolis 'El Bombi' García did what he does best, launching a towering three-run shot to tie the game 6-6 and breathe new life into the team. The euphoria was short-lived. The Orioles stormed back in the 11th, with Henderson again playing the villain, this time with a two-run double that keyed a four-run rally against a gassed Rangers bullpen, sealing the devastating loss.
This four-game extra-inning stretch, tying a record from 2002, has put a massive spotlight on the team's biggest weakness: the bullpen. While the starting rotation has been a source of strength, injuries to key arms like Jon Gray and Cody Bradford have stretched the relief corps to its breaking point. Tuesday's loss was a perfect microcosm of the season's struggles. The bats show up late with heroic moments, but the bullpen, with Hoby Milner taking the loss this time, can't slam the door shut. It's a frustrating pattern that's costing the team precious wins.
If there's a cure for a four-game marathon hangover, it's having your ace on the bump. The Rangers will look to snap the skid and get a desperately needed clean, efficient win in the series finale as Jacob deGrom takes the mound. Sporting a brilliant 8-2 record and a minuscule 2.08 ERA, deGrom has been everything the Rangers hoped for. He's the ultimate stopper, a pitcher capable of shutting down any lineup and, just as importantly, giving the overworked bullpen a day of light duty. He'll face off against the Orioles' Charlie Morton, who has struggled to a 4-7 record and 5.63 ERA.
Another night, another extra-inning heartbreaker. The resilience is admirable, but the results are painful. The Rangers are a team walking a tightrope between thrilling heroics and bullpen collapses. Now, all eyes turn to Jacob deGrom. The team doesn't just need a win; they need their ace to be an eraser, wiping the slate clean and reminding everyone just how dominant this team can be when the right man is on the mound.
