The Rangers got out of Philadelphia with two wins, no assaults, no closer, an offense that made up for a bullpen that walked ten batters in three games. 

MacKenzie Gore’s first start echoed what he has done in his career. Five stellar innings, loads of strikeouts, unable to get out of the sixth.

Gore is the proverbial been trying to turn the corner for four seasons. He has all the tools, but he still can’t build a proper birdhouse. A high strikeout guy with a high 4.19 career ERA to match.

He held the Phillies hitless through five, enjoying a 6-0 lead on the strength of a Brandon Nimmo two-run homer and an Andrew McCutchen three-run shot. 

Then the sixth inning came. He allowed a cheap infield single to the first Phillies hitter, walked the next, and gave up a single to the third hitter to load the bases. He struck out Bryce Harper, then hit Alec Bohm to allow Philadelphia to score its first run. 

That was it for Gore. Another five-inning outing. This one officially 5.1 innings, with two runs allowed, and seven Ks.

Cole Winn replaced him, got out of a bases loaded one out jam with only one run scoring, then gave way to Carter Baumer. He wove five outs around four walks and a hit, and was saved by a brilliant double play started by Josh Jung. 

The Rangers bullpen is still a work in progress after forty spring training games and now three regular season games.

The Rangers head to Baltimore for three games starting today, are 2-1, after winning their first series of the year.

Offense can mask a lot of bullpen problems.

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