ARLINGTON -- It only took approximately 20 minutes for things to unravel for the Rangers. Twenty minutes that could ultimately decide their postseason fate.
In that 20-minute span on Friday night at Target Field, the Rangers went from having a two-run lead over the Twins in the first inning to losing their best hitter and watching their ace implode on the mound in a 10-2 loss in their most important game of the season yet.
The defeat puts the Rangers (79-81) a half-game back of the Astros -- with Houston in the middle of its game against the A’s in West Sacramento. Houston also owns the tiebreaker thanks to winning the season series.
Third baseman Josh Jung was hit on the right hand with a pitch during his plate appearance against Joe Ryan in the first inning. Jung, who was slotted in at DH on Friday, initially stayed in the game to run the bases, but was removed for a pinch-hitter the next time through the order.
In between those two plate appearances, Rangers ace Jacob deGrom allowed the Twins to put up a six spot in the second inning. deGrom pitched an easy and clean 1-2-3 first, but saw 10 Minnesota batters in the second. He gave up another two runs in the fourth, his final inning of the regular season.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said on Thursday that they need their “dudes to be dudes” if they want to see October.
On Friday, deGrom didn’t look like a dude. He looked like a mere mortal.
The Rangers’ October dreams are on life support with just two games remaining; they can be eliminated as soon as Saturday. And on Friday, it was unfortunately deGrom who put them there.
In his final two starts this season, with everything on the line, deGrom allowed 11 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings. He had the same number of walks as strikeouts in that time (seven).