Rejuvenated Rangers make quick return to Anaheim
The Rangers were a season-high 11 games back of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West and looked in grave danger of missing the playoffs when that series began on July 7. But Texas made the most of a nine-game homestand following the All-Star break, winning eight times with the only loss a 2-1 setback to the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers in a game started by reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
The Rangers bring a six-game winning streak into Monday's opener after back-to-back three-game sweeps of the Athletics and the Atlanta Braves, outscoring their opponents 37-14 in the process, and are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the final AL wild-card spot.
"We played outstanding baseball here in this homestand," Bochy said following an 8-1 victory over the Braves on Sunday. "Going into the homestand we needed to. We needed to make up some ground. What a great job they did.
"The guys didn't get down. They haven't. I think it showed in this homestand."
Josh Smith went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a two-run homer, and Wyatt Langford had a three-run double to lead the Rangers offensively. Jack Leiter picked up his seventh win, allowing one run on two hits over six innings while striking out seven.
"It's such a long season, you're not going to be your best the whole 162," Smith said. "Even though we weren't playing great, we still kind of kept ourselves in it, playing right at .500 or just below .500 until we got hot."
Texas, a season-high six games over .500 (56-50), now hits the road for seven games beginning with three contests against the Angels followed by a four-game showdown with the Mariners in Seattle.
"We've got to keep this going," Smith said. "We can't take our foot off the gas."
Right-hander Jacob deGrom (10-2, 2.28 ERA) starts the series opener and will be opposed by right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (3-9, 6.03).
deGrom is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles. He picked up a no decision in a 6-5 loss on July 7 at Anaheim Stadium that ended with Nolan Schanuel drawing a bases-loaded walk off Hoby Milner in the bottom of the ninth to force Luis Rengifo in with the winning run.
Kochanowicz was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake following his last big league start on July 10 against the Rangers -- a game in which he allowed eight runs in eight hits in just 2 2/3 innings of an 11-4 loss. He is 0-4 with a 7.97 ERA in four career starts against Texas.
The fourth-place Angels are nine games behind Houston in the AL West and five games behind the Rangers and Seattle for the final wild-card spot. But they come in off a milestone 4-1 victory over the Mariners on Sunday. Mike Trout hit a two-run home run, the 397th of his career, passing Joe Carter into 62nd place on the all-time home run list. The two RBIs also gave Trout 1,001 in his career, third most in franchise history behind Garret Anderson (1,292) and Tim Salmon (1,016).
"It's good to finally put a good swing on a ball," Trout said of his 443-foot drive that landed halfway up the batter's eye in dead center. "It takes you teammates getting on base to accomplish that. I can't do it without them."
The win was just the second in the last seven games for the Angels.
--Field Level Media
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