WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jake Burger provided the Texas Rangers with their only runs Friday night. He doesn’t think trying to do too much will help them find more.
Texas lost 8-3 to the Athletics at Sutter Health Park for its fourth straight defeat, with Burger’s three-run homer accounting for all of the Rangers’ scoring. Afterward, the first baseman said pressing at the plate would only make things worse.
“I think the worst thing we could possibly do right now is put pressure on ourselves and try to hit an eight-run home run,” Burger said. “It’s about passing the baton and trusting the guy behind you, and trusting the guy in front of you to get on base and take a good at-bat.”
Jake Burger Gives Texas Rangers The Hit They Needed
The Rangers spent much of Friday searching for a hit, much less a big one.
Athletics rookie left-hander Gage Jump held Texas hitless until the fifth inning. An inning later, Corey Seager walked and Ezequiel Duran singled before Burger worked a full count.
He drove Jump’s 3-2 fastball 428 feet to left-center field, tying the game at 3. It was Burger’s 20th home run of the season and snapped a 15-game homerless stretch.
The Athletics took the lead back in the bottom of the inning on a Jeff McNeil home run, and Texas didn’t score again. The Rangers finished with four hits and stranded eight runners in the 8-3 loss.
Burger is batting .234/.295/.414 with 20 home runs and a team-high 71 RBIs through 117 games.
Texas Rangers Keep Leaving Runs On The Table
The problems started before Burger ever came to the plate with a chance to tie it.
Texas loaded the bases in the first inning but came away empty when Justin Foscue popped out on the first pitch he saw. The Rangers later put two runners aboard while trailing 5-3 in the eighth, only for pinch-hitter Nicky Lopez to fly out and end the threat.
Texas has not scored more than three runs in any game since Monday’s 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Even then, three of the Rangers’ four runs came in the 10th inning.
The lack of offense has come at a costly time. Friday’s loss dropped Texas to 60-63 and three games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West with 39 games remaining. The Rangers are also 5-16 in division road games, the second-worst winning percentage in the majors.
Burger didn’t have an explanation for that record.
“If you have an answer, let me know,” Burger said. “That’s not how you win a division.”
For now, his answer at the plate is simpler: don’t try to make up the deficit with one swing.
Texas Rangers Get Another Chance Saturday
The Rangers return to Sutter Health Park on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 8:40 p.m. CT. MacKenzie Gore is scheduled to start for Texas against J.T. Ginn.
Cody Bradford is scheduled for Sunday’s 3:05 p.m. CT series finale before the Rangers return home to face the Washington Nationals.
