Struggle Is Real! Texas Rangers Drop Third Consecutive Series For First Time Since Nightmare August
ARLINGTON — The struggle is real for the Texas Rangers.
And it continued Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Field. The Los Angeles Angels scored four runs in the seventh inning to win 4-1 and take two of three in the series.
The Rangers lost their third consecutive series for the first time since their roller coaster 4-16 stretch in August. They went 2-4 on their homestand and head to Philadelphia for a three-game series against the red-hot Phillies, who have the best record in the Majors at 34-14. The series starts at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday.
The Rangers dropped back to a season-low .500. They haven't been below .500 under manager Bruce Bochy.
"We're just not slugging like we normally do," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's why we're sitting on one run or two runs for the most part for the last nine or 10 days. Sometimes it goes in streaks. A couple of guys are just not swinging it like they normally do and you've got to hope they come out of it."
The Rangers offense continues to scuffle. The Angels held them to seven hits. The Rangers lone run came on Corey Seager's solo homer in the fourth.
Ranger starter Michael Lorenzen took the loss despite his fourth quality start. He held the Angels scoreless through six innings, but the first two batters in the seventh doubled and walked. With one out in the inning, Jonathan Hernández replaced Lorenzen and walked his first batter to load the bases.
In keeping with how things have been going lately for the Rangers, Mickey Moniak's lazy fly ball dropped near the line in left, tying the game at 1-1. Kevin Pillar's two-run single and Luis Rengifo's run-scoring triple made it 4-1.
Rangers relief pitchers have allowed 18 of 26 inherited runners to score in the past 10 games.
"Our guy was really, really good too," Bochy said of Lorenzen. "What a job he did to give us a chance to win that ballgame."
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