Two Innings Too Long; Feliz, Lyons Get Banged, Rangers Win 9-6

Nick Kingham was touched for a single/stolen base with an out in the first, followed by a pair of walks; he's already at 21 pitches. He went 3-0 on the next Ranger but coaxed a pop fly, then got a full-count whiff to escape with a zero at the cost of 33 tosses and 20 minutes. Shelby Miller started everyone with first-pitch strikes and 1-2-3'ed the Bucs. With two outs in the second, Nick walked the pitcher after being up 1-2, but no damage was done. J-Bell opened with a double, and he sunned himself while the next three Bucs went down quietly. Texas began the third with a two-bagger, and Joey Gallo went one better with a homer (a no-doubter at 443') to put Texas up by a two-spot. The Pirates went down w/o a peep again. The King tossed a clean fourth. A Melky rap and J-Bell dinger knotted the score. It wasn't just a long ball; it travelled 472' and splashed into the Allegheny on the fly. A walk and two-out knock created some more suspense, but Tuck whiffed, unable to get around on the heat.

It took Nick 78 pitches to get through four innings (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Ric Rod got the fifth. After a pair of leadoff knocks, a 4-6-3 DP eased the pressure. He walked Gallo intentionally. He stole second, but a fly ball closed it out. Brett Martin climbed the bump, with Fraze and Starling singling off him. Marte stole second, and in a fair trade, a Melky line out was followed by a 'scuse me dink into right by Gregory that plated a pair. Ric Rod got three pops ups for a calm sixth. Kyle Dowdy worked for Texas. K-Man singled and stole second; the Rangers threw the ball around like little leaguers on a sugar high trying to stop him and Newman came all the way around; that was followed by a Redbeard solo shot two pitches later, making it 6-2. Frankie Liriano got the seventh inning wave-in and tossed an easy frame. Jesse Chavez took the hill and got away with just a Melky rap. Michael Feliz was the eighth inning lottery winner; he got two outs with a walk in between, walked two more guys and then gave up a granny to pinch hitter Hunter Pence (who else?) with the ball clanging high off the foul pole. After another walk, Tyler Lyons came in to get the last out. Ariel Jurado got three grounders against the Pirates.

Michael Feliz and the strike zone weren't on speaking terms (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

A single and two-out double by Isiah Kiner-Falefa off Lyons gave the Rangers the lead; a halfway decent relay by Newman (it was short and up the first base line as he rushed it) would have had the runner dead at home. Rougned Odor's homer gave them insurance. Chris Martin took the ball and three batters later, the Rangers had their split by a 9-6 count.

Clint has a bad hand to work with; back-to-back four inning starts with half the bullpen from Indy would nettle Connie Mack, and Keone being unavailable makes the choices even slimmer (they moved him to the IL after the game, smh). But it sure looked like Hurdle was managing with the upcoming Cardinal series in mind rather than closing out the Ranger set and ended up with the worst of both worlds. Anyway, get used to some *sheesh* managing; until the Bucs get some bodies back, some days the ol' skipper's only choices will be "danged if you do, danged if ya don't."

Notes:

• Melky, J-Bell and K-Man each had a pair of raps.
• After seven walks last night, the Bucs issued eight more free passes today.
• Keone Kela was sent to the IL, retro to the 6th. Little late... JB Shuck also cleared waivers; he'll report to Indy.
• J-Bell's homer was the fourth to reach the river on a fly, along with blasts by Daryle Ward (then with Houston), Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez.
• The Rangers' Joey Gallo hit his 100th HR today; it took him fewer games (377) than anyone in AL history. He has three dingers in four games v Pittsburgh this year. An oddity; he's hit more homers than singles (100-93) over that span.
• Attendance was 13,905 today.
• Kela Keone is still day-to-day with a sore shoulder. His availability today was TDB as of ninety minutes before gametime. Adam Berry of MLB.com has the whole enchilada of IL news here.
• By the by, Steven Brault was ready and willing to go another inning last night, but the batting situation (he was due up with the bases loaded and two outs) and his pitch count of 66 (74 was his season high) convinced Clint to cut his start at four frames.
• Nick Caporoso of Rumbunter says the next two arms to follow in the minors belong to starter Cody Bolton and reliever Luis Escobar.