Rangers History Today: Seven Straight K's and Win

The Texas Rangers started a game in 1986 with a dubious record but it was all good in the end.

On this date in Texas Rangers history, the Rangers started by setting an ignominious Major League record, but wrapped up the night by beating the Chicago White Sox.

On May 28, 1986, the Rangers hosted Chicago at Arlington Stadium, with young Ed Correa starting for the Rangers and Joe Cowley starting for the White Sox. After Correa guided the Rangers through a scoreless top half of the first inning, Cowley went to work on the Rangers.

Corey Seager

Dane Dunning

Marcus Semien

Rangers lead-off man Odibie McDowell struck out. So did Scott Fletcher. And then Pete O’Brien struck out to end the first inning. Hey, striking out the side isn’t that rare, right?

Then came the second inning. Pete Incaviglia? Yep, the Rangers clean-up man struck out. Gary Ward followed that with a strikeout. Then George Wright failed to connect. And the second inning ended with Cowley logging six straight strikeouts to start the game.

The White Sox scored a run in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Cowley kept right on trucking, fanning Rangers third baseman Steve Buechele for his seventh straight strikeout to start the game, setting an American League record. Finally, Rangers catcher Orlando Mercado ended Cowley’s streak by not striking out.

Not long after that, the Rangers ended Cowley’s evening. Down 1-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Rangers scored two runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth, which chased off Cowley, who despite his tremendous start took the loss.

Kole Calhoun

Taylor Hearn

Brad Miller

Incaviglia, Ward, Buechele and Curt Wilkerson each had two hits. Buechele had a home run off Cowley in the fifth inning.

Of particular note was the starting center fielder that evening for the White Sox. It was Bobby Bonilla, who started his rookie season with the White Sox before they dealt him to Pittsburgh later that season. Bonilla actually started his pro career in the Pittsburgh organization, but the White Sox acquired Bonilla in the Rule 5 Draft. The Pirates traded pitcher Jose DeLeon to get Bonilla back, and he played a role in the Pirates’ three straight NL East titles from 1990-92.

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