Gallo's Big Night Not Enough as Rangers Fall Into Five-Game Skid

Joey Gallo had a three-hit night, including a three-run homer that sparked a Texas Rangers comeback, but they fall just short in Houston.

Chris Halicke | May 15, 2021

Gallo's Big Night Not Enough as Rangers Fall Into Five-Game Skid /

Ultimately, the 2021 Texas Rangers season won't be judged by wins and losses. Regardless of the circumstance, a five-game losing streak hurts.

The Rangers dropped their fifth game in a row on Saturday, as the Houston Astros edged out a 6-5 victory over Texas. The Rangers trailed Houston 6-1 heading into the top of the eighth inning, but Joey Gallo ignited a comeback with a three-run home run in the frame that brought the Rangers within two runs.

Gallo's three-run blast was his third hit of the night, which came after a day off on Friday to rest a sore hamstring.

.@JoeyGallo24 puts us right back in it! pic.twitter.com/YVYVdt7bsw
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) May 16, 2021

Later in the frame, Andy Ibáñez picked up his first career RBI on a groundout that made it a one-run game. However, Houston's Ryan Pressly retired the Rangers in order in the ninth inning, extinguishing the rally.

"We showed a lot of fight," said Rangers manager Chris Woodward. "It didn't show up in the standings, but we at least gave ourselves a chance in the end."

The Rangers drew first blood in the top of the first inning after Nick Solak hit a very unique triple to the left of the Crawford Boxes in left field and Nate Lowe followed with a sacrifice fly.

But the Astros answered in the fourth inning, pounding Rangers starter Dane Dunning for four runs and put Texas on their heels immediately. Dunning calmed down and followed with three scoreless innings.

Kolby Allard came in and kept the hot-hitting Astros at bay for 1 2/3 innings, while Hunter Wood came in and bailed out Allard with one pitch to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning.

However, Wood surrendered a two-run home run to Kyle Tucker in the seventh, which proved to be fatal for the Rangers.

The 2021 season is about the growth and development of the younger players on the roster. Winning is fun, but with growth comes growing pains. The Rangers are going through some of those right now. This five-game skid is the longest of the season.

The Rangers (18-23) will try to avoid a four-game sweep by the Astros (23-17) and get at least one win on this six-game road trip. The Rangers will send out their best pitcher in Kyle Gibson (3-0, 2.28 ERA) to square off with Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1, 3.10 ERA).

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Published May 15, 2021

CHRIS HALICKE