Rangers’ split doubleheader as Marcus Semien’s offense makes a fiery return

CLEVELAND – Water-logged and rain-delayed, the Rangers reached the primary important mile-marker of the season Tuesday afternoon, by which level the story traces of a season ought to turn into evident.

As in the event that they weren’t evident sufficient earlier than, like a techie from the Genius Bar at your native Apple Store, the Rangers demonstrated them another time in splitting a doubleheader at Cleveland by equivalent 6-3 closing scores.

And but, maybe, they nonetheless turned the web page. Marcus Semien’s bat has lastly arrived.

“When he rolls, we roll,” supervisor Chris Woodward had stated earlier than the outset of the Cleveland sequence.

On Tuesday he rolled.

Despite an embarrassing and expensive defensive lapse within the first sport, Semien hit three homers over the course of the day, tied a franchise file with seven hits within the doubleheader and reached an eighth time on a stroll. In the course of eight hours of baseball, he raised his batting common 25 factors to .221. It’s the primary day this season, he’s completed at or above .200.

“A doubleheader can be crazy like that,” Semien stated. “You feel good, you swing good. There are days when it feels really good and when it does, you feel like you can do some damage.”

The Rangers are 26-29 and the day was nonetheless crammed with too many wasted possibilities by the offense,  an inconsistent efficiency from the meant ace of the rotation and sloppy infield protection at a crucial second within the opener resulting in extra runs for the opponent. The night time included three super catches by Eli White, who’s beginning to make extra spotlight catches than CeeDee Lamb.

But, the only largest challenge that has stored the Rangers from spending greater than a single day at .500 has been a slow-churning offense. Nothing had higher symbolized that than Semien. If he’s rising from a career-worst begin, the offense, as a complete, could begin to hearth higher. Over his final 13 video games now, Semien is now slashing .339/.394/.631/1.025 with all six of his dwelling runs.

Also of significance: Six of his hits Tuesday, together with all three homers got here on fastballs. Semien is a good fastball hitter who has struggled uncharacteristically this season with it. The final homer of the day got here on a 98 mph heater from lefty Anthony Gose.

“When he finds it, you can tell,” Woodward stated. “There is a little more conviction. There is a little more trust in every swing. He puts a lot emphasis on feel and you could tell he was feeling fearless with the bat.”

The offensive efficiency helped dilute the acidity of a first-game blunder that appeared to color essentially the most vivid image of the season so far. It featured Semien merely shedding observe of the scenario, permitting a runner to attain from second on a floor ball that by no means left the infield grass. It didn’t lose the Rangers the sport, but it surely did depart a mark.

Semien, enjoying brief for simply the fourth time this season, charged Andrés Giménez’s two-out, seventh-inning chopper from behind second base. The ball hit off the pocket of his glove. Then he kicked it. He slowed all the way down to corral it and to ensure Giménez didn’t attempt to advance. All the whereas forgetting about pinch-runner Oscar Mercado, who rounded third, after which picked up velocity once more to dash dwelling.

By the time Semien realized it, maybe from reliever Garrett Richards’ shouting and pointing his throw was off-balance and late. Richards’ frustration punctuated the second: He spun round and made an exaggerated throwing movement. Semien spun, too, seemingly in self-disgust.

“You don’t expect that to happen,” Woodward stated. “You’ve got to keep your head up there. But I think Marcus would be the first to tell you that. He realized right away that it was a mistake and he shouldn’t have done it.”

It was the form of fitful day that has come to exemplify this season. One step backward and one step ahead. It was hardly the one mistake within the opener, merely essentially the most egregious.

The Cleveland run within the seventh had sprung to life as a throwing error from simply recalled third baseman Andy Ibáñez, whose throw within the grime long-hopped Nathaniel Lowe. The Rangers went 0 for 12 with males in scoring place over the doubleheader. They are 4 for 47 (.085) since reaching .500 a week in the past. Game 1 starter Jon Gray battled command issued that sparked second- and third-inning rallies.

“This is one of those days when it is really not fun,” stated Gray, who has one win in 9 begins. “I was really fast in my delivery and sprayed the ball all around. I’m really frustrated. I knew what I was doing and thought I made an adjustment; it felt like an adjustment, but in reality, I didn’t. That one is on me.”

Neither’s Gray’s battle nor his personal mistake deterred Semien. He started the day with a single and Corey Seager adopted with one other. It marked the primary time all 12 months the Rangers’ Half-A-Billion Boys started a sport with consecutive hits. It was their nineteenth time batting 1-2 within the order. It was solely the fourth time they’d had consecutive hits.

He additionally stole two bases on the day giving him 10 in 11 makes an attempt this 12 months, simply 5 in need of the profession excessive he set final 12 months. He’s now 25 for 27 (92.6 p.c) during the last two seasons, making him the second-most efficient basestealer during the last two years (minimal 25 makes an attempt).

Then got here the homers.

It all marked a day that included the form of play he’d like to neglect and the form of efficiency on which the Rangers would like to construct.

Semien Season has begun.

On Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant

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