Rangers Beat Angels To Snap Three-Game Losing Streak

A lineup tweak generated some offense while starter Glenn Otto pitched another fine outing to earn his second win

Matthew Postins | May 26, 2022

The Texas Rangers ended a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels to end a quick two-game set in Anaheim on Wednesday night.

The Rangers (19-23) had not won since Friday’s victory over Houston. The Rangers lost the final two games of that series, and then after an off-day on Monday, the Rangers lost to the Angels on Tuesday.

The Angels (27-18) lost a game on the Astros, as they fell two games back from the top of the American League West.

Glenn Otto

Marcus Semien

Kole Calhoun

Rangers starter Glenn Otto (2-2) threw five quality innings, giving up just three hits and one run while striking out seven. Two of his victims were Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, both of which fanned twice against him.

Otto handed the game to the Rangers bullpen, as Dennis Santana, Brock Burke and Joe Barlow gave up just one run in four combined innings of work. Trout struck out four times, just the eighth time in his career he’s done that.

Reid Detmers (2-2) got into the seventh inning for the Angels, but he left down three runs after giving up two home runs.

A lineup change moved the struggling Marcus Semien into the leadoff spot as Rangers manager Chris Woodward benched first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and moved Sam Huff into his place in the No. 7 spot in the order.

The move agreed with Semien, who went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. While he is still looking for his first home run, he did hit his first triple of the season.

The Rangers grabbed a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, sparked by two home runs. Mitch Garver, who went 1-for-4, hit a solo shot with no one out, giving him his second RBI of the game and his sixth home run of the season.

After Jonah Heim drew a walk and Adolis García struck out, Kole Calhoun hammered a home run to right field to give Otto some cushion. Calhoun finished with another quality night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs. He also stole his first base of the season.

The Rangers tacked on two more runs in the seventh. Calhoun singled, which chased off Detmers as the Angels brought in reliever Mike Mayers.

After Huff struck out, Brad Miller pinch-hit for Charlie Culberson and walked. Eli White’s single to right moved the runners 90 feet, and then Semien’s sacrifice fly scored Calhoun to make it 5-1. Corey Seager singled to right to score Miller. Seager then stole second.

In the eighth, Calhoun and Huff hit back-to-back singles, and Calhoun scored on a single by Miller for a 7-1 lead.

Corey Seager

Brad Miller

Sam Huff

Both the Rangers and the Angels scored a run in the first inning. Semien hit a lead-off single and stole second, advanced to third on Seager’s groundout and then scored on Garver’s sacrifice fly.

In the bottom half, the Angels tied the game. Ohtani walked to lead off and stole second after Trout was called out on a foul tip. Anthony Rendon singled home Ohtani with two outs.

The Rangers continue their trip on the West Coast by starting a four-game set with Oakland on Thursday. Left-hander Martín Pérez will be making his first start since his complete-game shutout of Houston on Friday.

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Published May 26, 2022

MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers for Fan Nation/SI and also writes about the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. He also covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com.