Rangers vs. Blue Jays summary, scores, stats and updates
Rangers 9-2 Blue Jays
Rangers sweep Blue Jays for the first time in 30 years
Both of these teams came into this series needing a win. Texas was hoping for two. That way they would own the tie breaker if it came down to it. As it turns out, they got all four.
The Rangers blew into Toronto like a hurricane, scoring 35 runs over the series and sweeping the Blue Jays for the first time in over 30 years. In fact, it has been over ten years since the Rangers swept anybody.
This will have the Arlington faithful feeling great, especially after a dreary August saw them let the lead in the AL West slip through their fingers. Jonah Heim continued his home run production. Corey Seager was a particular bright spot, going 3 for 4 and a triple short of hitting for the cycle.
But there were some worrying moments for the Rangers as well. Nathan Eovaldi is clearly not back to his old self. Max Scherzer is unlikely to make it back for the playoffs. But sitting just a half a game back of the Astros, the Rangers are looking like they may have rekindled their spark.
Over on the Blue Jays side of the field, however, it is a different story. They have been not only swept, but humiliated at home by a team that had been struggling to fiind a win before this week. At the moment, Toronto is out of the Wild Card picture, although they will certainly not give up the chase without a fight.
With both the Mariners and Rangers owning the tie breaker on them, the Blue Jays need to win emphatically if they are to have any hope of clawing their way into the post season.
Goodbye!
That is going to do it for our coverage of the Texas Rangers vs Toronto Blue Jays. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
We will be bringing you increasing coverage of the Wild Card race in September followed by all of the post season action here at Diario AS USA. Keep up to date with all of the MLB and sporting news right here.
Have a good night!
The sweep
That makes six in a row
Cargando...
Rangers win
Daulton Varsho will come to the plate representing the last chance for Toronto. He rips a grounder to first, fielded by Nathaniel Lowe, who flips it to pitcher Jonathan Hernandez. That is our ballgame. The Rangers win it.
Alejandro Kirk will come to the plate and he taps one up the middle for Semien, who makes the throw to first for the second out. Two up, two down.
Merrifield gets three breaking pitches and goes down swinging. He looks unsteady on that leg.
Bottom 9th
The Blue Jays are down to their last frame. They need seven runs to flip this script. Jonathan Hernandez will replace Will Smith on the mound as Jonathan Ornelas remains in the game at shortstop.
Merrifield will lead off the inning.
Pitch13 is fouled back before pitch 14 is hit to Bo Bichette, who steps on second and throws to first to end the inning.
The payoff again and it is fouled back! This is a battle! 12 pitches in this at-bat so far.
Lowe fouls off six more balls before the 3-2 delivery is fouled off again. Seven fouls in this at-bat.
Nathaniel Lowe comes up and hits a long foul ball to left. Whit Merrifield chases it and makes a sliding attempt, hurting his leg in the process. He stays in the game for the minute but that could be only temporary. He is in a bad way.
Pinch-hitter Jonathan Ornelas will hit for Corey Seager and is hit by the first pitch he sees. Men on first and second with one out.
Marcus Semien gets four straight balls for the walk.
Top 9th
Evan Carter is aggressive, chasing three straight and striking out swinging.
Pitching change
Bowden Francis wll replace Yimi Garcia for Toronto
Matt Chapman does the same thing, except to third, and Will Smith is out of the inning on two pitches.
Cavan Biggio goes after the first pitch, grounding one to second as Semien makes the throw to first for out two.
Pitching change
Bruce Bochy will head out to the mound and take the ball off of Jose Leclerc. Will Smith will get the tap to try and finish up here.
Bottom 8th
Travis Jankowski will go out to left to replace Ezequiel Duran and batting 8th. Leody Taveras will remain in the game as the DH.
Davis Schneider leads off and hits a rocket to third but right at Josh Smith for out number one.
Ezequiel Duran hits a long fly ball to right. Cavan Biggio comes down with it to end the inning, but Texas tacks on five runs in a massive inning. We go to the bottom of eight with the Rangers up 9-2
Josh Smith comes to the plate and steams one to center field. Daulton Varsho makes the leaping grab for out number two but it is plenty deep enough to score Nathaniel Lowe from third.
Jonah Heim comes to the plate with bases loaded and almost unbelievably nobody out. He lays off Garcia's funky stuff and brings the count to 2-2 before chasing a high fastball for strike three. One down.
Run walked in
Robbie Grossman draws a walk which brings in Corey Seager. The fans have had it with the Blue Jays. They are vocal in their displeasure.
Taveras bunts to the mound and Yimi Garcia moves to third, but realizes there is no play. Everybody is safe. The wheels are coming off the Blue Jays in a big way.
Pitching change
Pinch-hitter Leody Taveras will replace Sam Huff and the Rangers have added some important insurance runs. John Schneider has seen enough and will make a pitching change. The Toronto crowd is vocal, booing loudly at the prospect of another loss.
Yimi Garcia will take over on the mound.
Two runs score
Nathaniel Lowe singles on a sharp ground ball to center field, driving in Evan Carter and Marcus Semien. 7-2 Rangers
Run scores
Marcus Semien drives one off the wall in left for a double. Ezequiel Duran scores. Evan Carter moves to third to 3rd and the Rangers add an important run. 5-3 Texas.
Evan Carter draws the walk and the Rnagers have two on.
Top 8th
Daulton Varsho will head out to ceter field for Santiago Espinal as Ezequiel Duran leads off. The Jays will make a pitching change, sending in Trevor Richards to take over on the mound.
Duran rips one off the top of the wall in center for a leadoff double!
Vlad Guerrero works the count full before going down swinging on a strike three sinker!
Bo Bichette is more picky and draws the walk. Runners on first and second now.
Stick with a good thing and George Springer strikes out swinging on all sinkers too.
Pinch-hitter Santiago Espinal will hit for Kevin Kiermaier and gets a steady diet of sinkers, going down swinging.
Pitching Change
Jose Leclerc will take over on the mound from Cody Bradford.
Bottom 7th
Alejandro Kirk leads off the inning with a walk, drawing a pitching change for Texas.
Josh Smith grounds into a double play, with the 4-6-3 play ending the inning.
Jonah Heim jumps on the first pitch and singles on a line drive to right. Runners at first and second with one out
Robbie Grossman beats out a sharp ground ball to second for a single.
Top 7th
Pinch-hitter Sam Huff will replae Mitch Garver who does not have a broken foot, we hear. Huff strikes out swinging.
Pitching Change
Erik Swanson wil replace Tim Mayza for Toronto
Whit Merrifield grounds out to third to end the inning.
Matt Chapman strikes out swinging.
Bottom 6th
Cavan Biggio grounds out to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. One down
Nathaniel Lowe hits a soft tapper to the mound where Mayza runs it to first and flips it over to end the inning.
Corey Seager comes to the plate and hits a little nubber off the handle. Schneider charges it and flips it to first for the out.
Top 6th
Marcus Semien will lead off and works a full count before the payoff rings him up looking.
Davis Schneider will try his hand and likewise chases high heat to end the inning. Bradford strikes out the side.
Vlad Guerrero will stand in and chases a high fastball for strike three. Two down.
Bo Bichette strokes a double to center field and the Jays have a man in scoring position now.
Bottom 5th
George Springer leads off for Toronto, striking out on a foul tip that Heim holds onto.
Evan Carter dribbles a grounder to second, as Davis Schneider makes the play at first to end the inning. Rangers strand two and lead by two as we head to the bottom of the fifth.
PITCHING CHANGE
That is going to do it for Gausman as Tim Mayza will take over on the mound.
Ezequiel Duran hits a soft tapper to the third base side. Matt Chapman makes the throw to to first for the out. The runners advance to second and third.
Josh Smith draws the walk and that is the second walk of the inning. Gausman is already over 100 pitches tonight and may not last much longer.
Heim works the count to 2-2 before getting an outside fastball called strike three. These calls have gone both ways tonigh.
Jonah Heim gets behind 0-2 and Robbie Grossman steals 2nd base.
Grossman draws a walk on a fastball that was called a ball. Gausman is not happy and that is the second time that he has chirped about it. John Schneider goes to work on the ump and is told to cut it out. This could boil over at some point.
Top 5th
Mitch Garver is out of the game, getting x-rays on his foot after fouling one off in the last inning.
Robbie Grossman will lead off for Texas.
Kevin Kiermaier now stands in and bounces one to third base for the third out. Bradford gets Texas out of trouble quickly and we head to the fifth with the Rangers up 4-2
Kirk lofts a high fly ball to center field for out number two.
Bradford will go to work against Alejandro Kirk.
PITCHING CHANGE
Cody Bradford will take over the pitching duties from Nathan Eovaldi.
Whit Merrifield rips a line drive to left field for a single and that will draw Bruce Bochy out from the dugout. Eovaldi's day will be done after 3.1 innings.
Bottom 4th
Matt Chapman leads off for Toronto and pops one behind first base for Nathaniel Lowe. One down.
Mitch Garver jumps on the first pitch, lining out to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier to end the inning.
Nathaniel Lowe works a full count before the payoff misses for a walk. The bases are now loaded for the Rangers.
Corey Seager comes to the plate and rips one to right field for a single. Carter goes to third on the play.
Marcus Semien watches a called strike three on a very low pitch.
Evan Carter stays tough, really choosy about what he goes for and works a full count before the payoff misses for a walk.
Top 4th
Ezequiel Duran leads off and grounds out to third baseman Matt Chapman who makes the throw to first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Cavan Biggio can't hold off a check swing for strike two before he is called out on a back-door fastball that rides back toward the zone. Eovaldi has a 1-2-3 inning after struggling so much in the second.
Davis Schneider gets behind in the count, fouling a few off, before a slider at the top of the zone freezes him, for a called strike three.
Bottom 3rd
Nate Eovaldi will stay in the game and has some pitch com issues, needing a new unit. Vlad Guerrero will lead off and he jumps on the first delivery, popping it out to right field for the first out.
Josh Smith comes to the plate now and works the count full before the payoff is dribbled to second base. The routine throw is in time to end the inning, but Texas have extended their lead to 4-2
HOME RUN TEXAS
Jonah Heim jumps on the first pitch, a fastball, and blasts it to straightaway center for a long solo home run! The Rangers have scored in each inning, and Jonah Heim is still a hot bat in the American League.
Robbie Grossman comes to the plate and lines a shot to center, but right at Kevin Kiermaier for the second out.
Top 3rd
Mitch Garver leads off for Texas, grounding one to third, as Chapman makes the play to first for out number one.
Bo Bichette gets behind in the count 1-2 and chases a low breaking ball to end the inning. The Rangers escape with no damage, but that was too close for comfort.
The Rangers bullpen is up and working now. They need help and fast.
George Springer now comes to the plate with runners on the corners and two out. He gets four straight balls and the bases are loaded for Bo Bichette. Eovaldi is in trouble.
Jonah Heim trots out to the mound to have a word with Eovaldi before the go to work on Kevin Kiermaier. The count runs full before he grounds a slow roller to first. Lowe goes to Seager at second to get Kirk for out number two. No chance for a double.
Alejandro Kirk stays strong at the plate and doesn't bite on four fastballs that miss the outside of the zone by inches, drawing the walk.
Whit Merrifield lines a sharp one-hopper to first base. Nathaniel Lowe makes a great throw to shortstop Corey Seager for the force out and the return throw is not in time. Fielder's choice, one away.
Bottom 2nd
Matt Chapman will lead off and draws a walk to open the inning for the Blue Jays.
Cargando...
Nathaniel Lowe pops out to shortstop Bo Bichette to end the inning, but the Rangers are now back on top.
Seager has now driven in all Rangers runs as Texas retakes the lead 3-2
Two Runs score
Corey Seager now heads up with two runners on and he has been hot against the Jays over this series. He ropes a line shot to deep left. Merrifield goes up for it and can't quite get to it, bobbling the ball, as Seager gets a double, driving in both base runners!
Top of the order now and Marcus Semien gets his second look at Gausman. He flew out to right in his first at-bat. This time he works the count full before the payoff pitch misses high for a walk. Runners now at first and second.
Evan Carter works the count to 2-2, letting Gausman worry about Duran's stealing threat on first before he strikes out swinging on a high fastball.
Ezequiel Duran lays down a perfect bunt to third base. Matt Chapman has no chance and Duran beats it out.
Top 2nd
Josh Smith leads off the second with a long fly ball to right field, but Cavan Biggio gets under it for the first out.
Cavan Biggio skies a high pop up to shallow left. Third baseman Smith goes a long way back but puts it away to end the inning. At the end of one, the Blue Jays are in the lead 2-1.
Davis Schneider comes to the plate and works the count full before the payoff pitch is bounced to the left side of the infield. Josh Smith makes the long throw for out number two.
HOME RUN TORONTO
Vlad Guerrero Jr comes up and answers the Texas Rangers' fire with fire, crushing a fastball into the upper deck in left field for a two run blast. The Blue Jays take the lead 2-1
Bo Bichette stands in and breaks his 16 at-bat hitless streak by taking a short stroke just over the short stop's glove for a single.
Bottom 1st
George Springer leads off for Toronto and flies one out to center fielder Evan Carter for out number one.
Jonah Heim comes up and gets a steady diet of fastballs, watching the third one go by to end the inning. Gausman gets out of jail, but not without surrendering the first run of the game.
Robbie Grossman hits a dribbler up the middle, second base side, and there is some confusion between Bo Bichette and Davis Schneider as to who will field it, allowing the ball to get through for a single.
Lowe moves to second on the play.
Mitch Garver comes to the plate and gets fooled by a breaking ball, unable to check his swing, before being frozen, absolutely jelly-legged, by a fastball that rides it's way back to catch the outside edge for strike three. Two down.
Nate Lowe works the count full, fouling two off and laying off the breaking ball to draw a walk. One on, one out.
HOME RUN TEXAS
Corey Seager stands in and gets two fastballs in a row. He fouls the first one back before stamping the second one to right center. It is clearly gone, straight off the bat. The Rangers jump out to a quick 1-0 lead.
The second pitch is popped to right field, where Cavan Biggio hauls it in for out number one.
Top 1st
Marcus Semien will lead off for the Rangers and Kevin Gausman delivers a 96mph fastball, fouled back for strike one.
We are less than ten minutes from the first pitch and the atmosphere amongst the Toronto crowd is one of frustration as last night's dismal showing sees them fall one game out of the Wild Card spot. They need something big tonight.
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Lineups
Texas Rangers
1 Semien 2B
2 Seager SS
3 Lowe 1B
4 Garver DH
5 Grossman RF
6 Heim C
7 Smith 3B
8 Duran LF
9 Carter CF
Toronto Blue Jays
1 Springer DH
2 Bichette SS
3 Guerrero Jr. 1B
4 Schneider 2B
5 Biggio RF
6 Chapman 3B
7 Merrifield LF
8 Kirk C
9 Kiermaier CF
Pitching
The key advantage that Toronto will have tonight is on the mound. Kevin Gausman will start for the Jays and he was lights out in eight sizzling innings in his last start.
Texas will start Nathan Eovaldi, who has been working his way back from a forearm injury and was on a pitch limit in his last outing. If Eovaldi leaves the game early, that will lay bare a Rangers bullpen that has struggled since the All Star break.
Welcome!
Welcome to the live Diario AS commentary of game four of the series between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
These are two teams fighting for their playoff lives. In Toronto, the situation is perhaps more dire than in Texas, but both of these teams are in deperate need of a strong September finish.
The Texas Rangers have been in pole position in the AL West since just after opening day. They laid claim to the top spot and have at times looked unstoppable.
And then August rolled in like an angry storm-filled sky. Texas have stumbled through the late summer in a funk, grasping at straws, clutching thin air. They let a six game lead over Houston evaporate, much to the glee of the Astros faithful. They needed to stop the bleeding in their season and quickly.
Toronto, on the other hand, are much further back in the AL East, sitting a full 11 games behind division leaders Baltimore. But they came into this four game series hopeful that they could take advantage of a shaky Ranger team to make up some ground in the Wild Card chase.
And that is just the moment that Texas seemed to return to their early season form. The Rangers unloaded on the Blue Jays 10-4 in game one, before winning game two 6-3 and emptying both barrels on Toronto in game three in a 10-0 blowout.
Tonight's fourth game could see the Rangers claw their way back to within a half game of the top spot in the West, and seriously dent the Jays' hopes of staying around in October.