The Texas Rangersscored five runs but the Baltimore Oriolesscored ten runs.
Put that broom away, Herbie. There will be no sweeping today. The Rangers are forced to wallow in a thin layer of filth thanks to the pitching going sideways and the lineup pretty much being one and done in the series finale.
Today's starter Kumar Rocker not only didn't have it but he also shot himself in the foot by failing to cover first base on a first inning ground ball that would have ended an early Baltimore rally with no damage if he'd been there to beat the runner after Jake Burger had made a diving stop. Instead, the Orioles scored a run on the infield single and old friend Leody Taveras followed with a two-out RBI double to put the O's up 2-0.
Unlike Jacob deGrom last night, Rocker didn't settle in after his first inning hiccup. Instead, Rocker allowed three more runs in the top of the second on a couple of home runs. Even though the bullpen has seen some heavy usage of late, Rocker lasted just three innings and ultimately gave up six runs on seven hits and a couple of walks to pair with five strikeouts.
After a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth, Rocker gave way to Jordan Montgomery for his first appearance in a Rangers uniform since Game 2 of the 2023 World Series. The 2023 playoff hero returned to the mound for his first big league action overall since Sept. 2024.
Unlike Cody Bradford's return earlier this week, the best you can say about Montgomery's reappearance after a long rehab is that he absorbed four innings to help the Rangers manage the load that was placed on the bullpen. Otherwise Montgomery allowed three earned runs on two, two-run home runs with one of the runs placed on Rocker's ledger.
It was nice to see Montgomery back regardless. The Rangers wouldn't have won a World Series without him. Unfortunately, today, he was regulated to mop-up long relief duty in an otherwise lost cause partially of his own making.
It's fair to say the Rangers rebounded from their miserable previous week but a sweep and extended winning streak felt like the kind of opportunity that could have spring boarded them to more sustained success with a couple of series against the bottom feeders in the division coming up. But these Rangers are allergic to sustained success so we will settle for a series win.
Player of the Game: That would be Brandon Nimmo, whose third inning three-run home run momentarily made it seem like perhaps the Rangers were back in this one until the Orioles quickly extinguished hope.
Up Next: The Rangers jet off for a two-series West Coast road trip starting with a four-game set in Anaheim beginning tomorrow night. The series opener will feature a couple of left-handers with LHP MacKenzie Gore expected to make the start for Texas opposite LHP Reid Detmers for the Angels.
The Monday night first pitch from the Big A is scheduled for 8:38 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
