The Texas Rangers opened the American League Wild Card Series with a bang, shutting out the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0 in the opener. The Rangers were led by a strong pitching performance from starter Lance Lynn, who allowed just one hit and struck out eight batters over five innings of work. Lynn was backed up by a stellar bullpen effort, with relievers Jose Leclerc, Jonathan Hernandez, and Ian Kennedy combining to allow just one hit and no runs over the final four innings.
Offensively, the Rangers were led by designated hitter Khris Davis, who went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Shortstop Elvis Andrus also had a big game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Third baseman Todd Frazier added an RBI single in the fourth inning to give the Rangers some insurance.
The Rays had a few chances to get on the board, but were unable to capitalize. They had runners on base in the first, fourth, and fifth innings, but were unable to get the timely hit they needed to get on the board.
The Rangers will look to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series when they face off against the Rays again on Wednesday. The Rays will look to even up the series with a win and force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday. No matter what happens, it looks like this series is going to be an exciting one.
