Seven home runs left the yard on Monday night in San Francisco, as the Angels defeated the Giants 9-7 in a rematch of the 2003 World Series.
Los Angeles, who have won their last four games, are nipping at Texas’ heels, only two games back now of the American League West lead.
Texas has lost two in a row, and are suffering through some frighteningly uncharacteristic offensive woes.
But all is not lost.
The schedule that has been so nasty to Texas over the past few weeks (New York, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles) now seems primed to do the team a favor, and not, if Texas can indeed capitalize, a moment too soon.
The Rangers will face the last-place Houston Astros at home before heading west to face the second-place San Francisco Giants, and the last place Arizona Diamondbacks.
The team will then return home to face the San Diego Padres.
That (for you struggling math students) is three of four series against teams who are well below the .500 mark.
Texas is 10-17 against teams that have winning records this season; they are 25-10 against those who fall short of that mark.
What that says about this team, I’m not sure. It certainly doesn’t sound good.
But it’s also not all that relevant at this point.
Good teams concentrate on beating the teams in front of them, and Texas has done a well-enough job in that respect this season.
For now, debating the merits of opposition is an exercise in futility.
For now, any win, any small victory towards protecting what once was a comfortable lead, is the name of the game.
After the San Diego series, Texas will round out the month with a series against the Angels at home.
This could get interesting.
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