ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — — Jordan Montgomery delivered an exceptional performance against the Tampa Bay Rays, solidifying the Texas Rangers’ 4-0 victory in their AL Wild Card Series opener. Montgomery’s stellar pitching set the tone for the best-of-three series, and he also made a diving catch that helped secure the win. The Rangers are now just one victory away from an AL Division Series matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.
“It’s fulfilling to perform well and contribute to the team’s success,” Montgomery expressed after allowing only six hits over seven innings on Tuesday.
After a weekend collapse that cost them the AL West title and a first-round playoff bye, Texas bounced back. On the other hand, the Rays extended their postseason losing streak to a club-record six games.
The highlight of the game came when Montgomery made an impressive defensive play, diving to catch a bunt from Jose Siri. Despite landing awkwardly, Montgomery’s catch fueled the team’s momentum.
Rookie left fielder Evan Carter, who had a memorable postseason debut with two doubles and two walks, described the catch as “electric” and expressed his excitement. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy commended Montgomery’s competitive spirit and applauds his catch.
Although Bochy and the athletic trainers went to check on Montgomery after the catch, he fortunately emerged uninjured. Montgomery admitted that the catch was an impulsive and competitive move, something he hadn’t done since he was 12 years old.
Corey Seager and Josh Jung contributed to the Rangers’ victory by driving in runs. Additionally, the Rays made four errors, which further benefited Texas. Tampa Bay struggled offensively, hitting just .133 throughout the game.
Montgomery, a 30-year-old left-hander acquired from St. Louis prior to the trade deadline, retired 14 of his last 16 batters. He ended his outing with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Rangers’ bullpen also performed well, with Aroldis Chapman pitching a perfect eighth inning and José Leclerc closing out the game with a six-hitter, resulting in the team’s first postseason shutout since the 2011 World Series.
Tampa Bay’s manager, Kevin Cash, admitted that his team was outperformed in terms of hitting, pitching, and defense. He remains optimistic about bouncing back in the upcoming games.
In the following game, the Rangers will start right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, while the Rays counter with AL wins co-leader Zach Eflin.
Amidst the game, there were heartwarming moments involving family members. Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena’s mother came all the way from Mexico to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the game. Arozarena’s mother recently obtained a visa and had the opportunity to watch her son play in-person for the first time as a major leaguer.
Additionally, the Rays-Rangers series has a family touch as well, with brothers Josh Lowe and Nathaniel Lowe facing off in the playoffs for the first time. Unfortunately, their mother was unable to attend due to battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.
The second game of the series will take place tomorrow, with the Texas Rangers looking to continue their winning streak against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
