ARLINGTON, Texas – The eight game winning streak for the Texas Rangers ended with a thud Tuesday night as the Rangers were dumped by Milwaukee 5-1.
The loss featured a botched rundown, a lack of clutch hitting and the fewest runs scored by the Rangers this month.
But if there was a bright spot, it was the pitching of right-hander Alexi Ogando.
Ogando, whose spot as the No. 5 hitter has been solidified by the season-ending injuries to Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison, pitched into the seventh inning for just the fourth time this season.
Ogando was uneven in the start, allowing a season high three homers, but he needed just 74 pitches to get 19 outs and both he and the Rangers feel like it's an outing he can build off of.
"He was real efficient tonight," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "You know, (Scooter) Gennett was the issue tonight, got him twice. And then (Khris) Davis got one. But he got into the seventh inning with 70-something pitches. So it's improvement. Now we've just got to keep that long ball from happening."
Gennett, the No. 9 hitter for Milwaukee, led off the third with a solo homer to right. He then added a two-run homer to right in the fifth. Davis hit one off the foul pole in left in the seventh to push the Milwaukee lead to 4-1.
Gennett and Davis came into the game with a combined five homers and Ogando had allowed just seven in his 74 innings this season going into the start.
Those numbers didn't add up Tuesday.
"I think overall my command of my pitches was working a lot better," Ogando said. "But I left some out there and they took advantage of them. I'd like to improve every day, overcome some obstacles every day. I'd like to build on this. My command of my pitches was really good so I'd like to continue."
Ogando needed to have command like Milwaukee starter Marco Estrada.
Estrada allowed a solo homer to Mitch Moreland in the third inning that tied the game and that was it. The righty, who hadn't won since May 24, allowed just four hits in six innings and didn't walk a batter.
When the Rangers did have chances late, they couldn't capitalize on them. The Rangers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth but Elvis Andrus struck out and Ian Kinsler hit a soft liner to third.
The Rangers had two runners on in the ninth too but nothing materialized there as the Rangers went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
"I don't think we were out of sorts," Washington said. "I think you've got to give Estrada credit. He kept us off guard there, off balance. We had some chances against him to make a difference and we didn't. And his bullpen came in and did the rest."
