Rangers Continue Slide With Loss to White Sox

Texas has lost seven of its last nine since reaching the .500 mark on May 31

Since the Texas Rangers reached .500 for the first time this season, it’s been a slow downhill slide, and it continued with an 8-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Rangers (26-31) were 24-24 on the last day of May, after they beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-0.

Since then, the Rangers have lost seven of their last nine games.

The Rangers were dealt some bad news before Friday’s game, as the scheduled starter, Glenn Otto, was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list, along with designated hitter Mitch Garver. The club did get infielder Brad Miller back from the injured list.

Texas turned it into a bullpen game and handed the ball to Matt Bush, and he and the staff didn’t let the game get away until the eighth inning.

The White Sox poured on five runs to break a 3-3 tie against Rangers reliever John King (1-2). After Bush, Garrett Richards, Tyson Miller and Dennis Santana held the White Sox to just five hits, King gave up six hits and five runs. Danny Mendick, the No. 9 hitter for the White Sox, had the big blow, a two-run homer, just his second of the season.

The White Sox went with Reynaldo López on the hill, but he only pitched two innings, giving up one hit and striking out three. Davis Martin came on in his place and threw five innings, giving up two Rangers runs, both of which were home runs. Nathaniel Lowe hit a solo shot in the fifth inning and Adolis Garcia hit one in the sixth inning.

Corey Seager’s solo blast off White Sox reliever Kendall Graverman tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the eighth. Graverman ended up with his fourth blown save of the season, but he also ended up with his second win  after the Sox rallied in the eighth.

Texas will continue its series at 1:10 p.m. CT on Saturday as Martín Pérez (4-2, 1.56) faces Lucas Giolito (4-2, 3.54). The series concludes on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. CT with Jon Gray (1-3, 5.28) facing Michael Kopech (2-2, 1.94).

The Rangers return home for a three-game set with Houston starting on Monday.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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