Rangers Throttled By A's, Brock Holt Throws 30-MPH Pitch In Relief

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Rangers
By Chris Halicke | Last updated 8/7/21

The Texas Rangers suffered an old-fashioned butt whoopin' at the hands of the Oakland Athletics on Saturday at the Coliseum, falling by a score of 12-3.

The Rangers got off to a great start with a two-run mammoth home run by Adolis García in the first inning. Texas has struggled to put up runs in the opening frame throughout the season, and from the start, it looked like the Rangers were going to turn the tide and possibly avoid an extension of their four-game losing streak.

Instead, the A's exploded for seven runs in the third inning, sending twelve batters to the plate in the frame. Starter Drew Anderson was knocked out of the game before an out was recorded in the third inning, and was charged with five runs on four hits with two walks and no strikeouts.

The A's wore down Jharel Cotton is his first appearance at The Coliseum since leaving Oakland, making him throw 42 pitches in the inning. The A's put up three more runs in the frame, and added two more in fifth.

With the game well out of hand, Rangers manager sent infielder Brock Holt to pitch the eighth inning. He turned in a scoreless performance, despite throwing multiple pitches in the lowest 30s.

"The plan was to see how slow I could throw it and still throw strikes," Holt said after the game. "So I was able to execute my plan to perfection today."

Holt added to the spectacle around position players pitching by approaching the umpires after the end of the inning and asking to be checked for foreign substances.