Texas Rangers Sweep Chicago White Sox on Father’s Day
ARLINGTON — It’s a Father’s Day miracle. The Texas Rangers swept a team for the first time in over a month.
The Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 Sunday at Globe Life Field to secure their first sweep since May 12-14 vs. the Colorado Rockies. They’ve won six of the seven games that they played in the last calendar week and moved from five games under .500 to an even 36-36 record.
How it Happened
The story: The Rangers’ pitching staff, which has become more depleted on a week-by-week basis, continued to stand on its head. Texas recalled Kumar Rocker to start in Tyler Mahle’s place and got five shutout innings out of the rookie. The bullpen — which has been worked incredibly hard in the last week and had to combine to make multiple starts — allowed just one run in the final four innings to complete the sweep.
The Rangers have been dealing with injuries to their pitching staff, but they have still managed to come out on top. The team’s ability to adapt and overcome adversity has been impressive, and it’s a big reason why they’ve been able to win six of their last seven games.
Key Moments in the Game
The moment(s) that made the game: There were two. Credit to the aforementioned bullpen.
Rangers right-handed reliever Jacob Webb left runners on the corners with one out in the seventh inning for Cole Winn. The Rangers escaped the jam to maintain a one-run lead.
Catcher Kyle Higashioka threw Josh Rojas out at second base on a steal attempt for the inning’s second out. Winn, a right-hander, froze leadoff hitter Mike Tauchman with a called strike three fastball for the inning’s third out.
Consider it a warmup for Winn. He stranded runners at second and third base in the eighth inning when he got Edgar Quero to hit into an inning-ending lineout. The 25-year-old has not allowed a run in 10 2/3 innings this season.
Standout Performers
The mound star: Rocker was reassigned to Triple-A Round Rock after his previous big league start to continue his development. The plan changed after another Rangers starter landed on the injured list.
Rocker, though, gave the Rangers reason to consider further development at the major league level. The 25-year-old right-hander allowed just four hits and one walk in five scoreless innings. He struck out six batters, showed poise with runners on base and mixed his pitches in a way that he never had before in the big leagues.
The plate star: Ezequiel Duran started at third base Sunday in place of Josh Jung (mental break) and was the only Rangers batter with multiple hits.
The 26-year-old drove in the Rangers’ first run with a second-inning double vs. Chicago right-hander Aaron Civale that scored Adolis García to make it 1-0. He had another double in the eighth inning that moved García to third base. They were hit second and third extra base hits of the season, respectively, and each carried an exit velocity of 100-plus mph. Duran also made a slick barehand grab at third base to throw Chase Meidroth out at first base in the third inning.
Related: Texas Rangers officially place Tyler Mahle on 15-day IL, recall Kumar Rocker
More Rangers Coverage
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.
Conclusion
The Texas Rangers’ sweep of the Chicago White Sox on Father’s Day was a much-needed boost to their season. The team’s pitching staff, despite being depleted by injuries, has continued to impress, and the offense is starting to come around. With their win, the Rangers moved to an even 36-36 record and are looking to build on their momentum in the coming weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who was the starting pitcher for the Rangers in the final game of the series?
A: Kumar Rocker was the starting pitcher for the Rangers in the final game of the series.
Q: How many hits did Ezequiel Duran have in the game?
A: Ezequiel Duran had two hits in the game, both doubles.
Q: What is the Rangers’ current record?
A: The Rangers’ current record is 36-36.
