One Game, Two Blown Saves by Texas Rangers Closers
Do the Texas Rangers have two closers or no closers?
Probably depends on the game. In Monday night's road opener, both pitchers with extensive histories of locking down wins failed to do. Yes, both Aroldis Chapman and Will Smith, with more than 430 saves between them, blew saves in the same game.
The 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first of quick two-game series has to be one of the bigger gut punches of the season, especially since the Rangers revamped the pitching staff before the trade deadline.
Texas trotted out one of the new starters against Arizona, and Jordan Montgomery delivered. The lefty went eight shutout innings, allowing just four hits and exiting with a 1-0 lead.
Sure, it was still close, but the situation seemed tailor made for Chapman. Featuring his 100-plus-mph fastball, Chapman struck out Alek Thomas to lead of the ninth before Ketel Marte took the first pitch he saw – 92-mph “mistake” slider – over the fence in left to tie it up.
Chapman did get the next two batters and came back for a scoreless 10th after the Rangers failed to score in the top of the inning. Despite giving up the lead – and blowing a save – Chapman did give Texas hitters another chance in the 11th.
“He did a great job regrouping,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He went out there and shut them down the next inning.”
The Rangers came through with two runs for a 3-1 advantage, with Bochy handing the ball to Smith to end the game and the club’s four-game losing streak.
The game did end on Smith’s watch, but the losing streak grew by one. Smith got the first two batters before intentionally walking Marte. Needing just one out, Smith gave up back-to-back doubles pitch hitter Geraldo Perdomo and Tommy Pham to plate three runs.
“I decided to put Marte on the next time,” Bochy said. “Perdomo got a big hit and [Pham] another big hit. Just a couple of mistakes there.”
Chapman, in line for the win, now has four blown saves (two with Texas) this season. Smith (1-5) also has four blow saves, with two coming in his last four outings, and took the loss. Smith has a 15.19 ERA over his last seven appearances.
Chapman and Smith have proven over the years they can do the job, with 318 and 113 career saves, respectively. But with the importance of every game magnified down the stretch, and the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners nipping at Texas’ lead in the American League West, missed opportunities like Monday hurt.
These squandered wins could be the difference in a division title or Wild Card berth or missing the playoffs altogether. The Rangers had to feel like they blew one Monday night.
Chapman and Smith certainly did.
