HOUSTON — In an ugly game, at the end of an ugly series, which finished an ugly road trip, a gruesome seventh inning might’ve been as hard of a watch as any that preceded it.
The Rangers lost 7-3 against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park Sunday afternoon and were swept by their division rival on the eve of what could be a pivotal trade deadline. They were sunk by a momentous seventh inning — one that included a blown call, an ejection, a bullpen meltdown, a defensive miscue and the feats of the world’s best hitter — that nullified an otherwise fine start from right-handed pitcher Kumar Rocker and a decent rally attempt from their offense.
Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo tied the game with a leadoff home run against left-handed pitcher Steven Okert in the top half of the seventh inning, and after first baseman Jake Burger singled and pinch hitter Alejandro Osuna walked, second baseman Nicky Lopez came to the plate with two outs and an opportunity to turn the lineup over to the top. Lopez worked a full count before home plate umpire Todd Tichenor called strike three on a slider well below the zone, but because catcher Elias Diaz burned the team’s two challenges in the game’s first three innings, he was unable to appeal the call.
It stalled what could’ve been a prosperous inning with designated hitter Joc Pederson left in the on-deck circle, and when Rangers manager Skip Schumaker left the dugout to inform Tichenor of a substition before the top of the eighth, he shared his displeasure with the call. The two argued back and forth (aside from a brief truce while “God Bless America” played) before a fired-up Schumaker was ejected from a game for the first time this season.
“That moment is a big call, a crucial call, that you’ve just got to get right,” Schumaker said. “I felt like it was a chance to make a difference in the game with Joc on deck, arguably our hottest hitter, with the bases loaded. It’s hard, I get it, so I felt like I needed to state my case.”
It saved Schumaker from a front-row view of a bullpen meltdown in the bottom half of that inning. Left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander allowed a double to first baseman Christian Walker and hit center fielder Taylor Trammell with a pitch before he recorded an out. The Rangers replaced him with right-handed pitcher Cole Winn, one of their best statistical arms in dirty frames this season, though matters only worsened. He allowed a single to right fielder Cam Smith (to score the go-ahead run), walked shortstop Nick Allen (to load the bases) and gave up an infield dribbler to pinch hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. (in which nobody covered first base after Burger charged the ball) before the lineup turned over.
Winn struck out shortstop Jeremy Peña on five pitches before the planet’s hottest hitter came to the plate. Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, the American League MVP front runner, recorded his fourth hit of the game and his seventh hit of the series when he pulled Winn’s cutter down the right field line for a two-run double.
“I was trying to get a cutter up and in,” Winn, who acknowledged that his overall pitch execution must improve, said. “I think it was in-off, a little bit, and he totally barrelled it. It just seemed like how his day was going. He had two hits off of Rocker when it looked like Rocker beat him. It’s falling his way. He’s been unbelievable this year, so it’s just kind of trying to attack him with your best stuff, and hopefully it gets a tough out.”