In the thick of a pennant chance, the Rangers won a Kumar Rocker start. The fact that he’s even allowed to start a game at this important stretch of the season is a headscratcher, but Skip Schumaker replaced him before he inevitably crashed and burned.

He got the Blue Jays out in order in the first inning. Knowing his first-inning troubles, that in itself was quite a huge accomplishment.

He allowed two hits in the second, two baserunners, but was somehow able to strand them.

After the Rangers scored four runs in the bottom of the second, the real test was if Rocker could somehow prevent Toronto from getting all four back, like he has so often done. Instead, he got them out one-two-three in the top of the third, then again in the top of the fourth. 

The top of the fifth was shaping up to be his fall-apart-at-the-seams inning. He walked the first two Blue Jays hitters, got an out, then gave up a double to make it 4-1. 

Before he had a chance to crater, he was removed from the game. It was about as good as it was going to get from a Kumar Rocker start. Tyler Anderson came in and closed out the fifth without allowing another run and the Rangers had survived a Rocker start.

You know you are going well when that happens. The baseball gods helped the Rangers tack on three more runs in an eventual 7-1 win over the Blue Jays, who are fighting neck-to-neck with the Rangers for that third wildcard spot.

But that might not matter because the Rangers are in the worst division in baseball history (disregarding the 1994 season that was wiped out with a players strike), and last night’s win combined with Houston’s loss put the Rangers back in a tie for first place, both teams at .500. 

The eight-game dash continues tonight against Toronto, with the Houston having to play a dominating Atlanta team.

Could this finally be the night the Rangers poke their heads above .500? Stranger things can happen. Like winning a Kumar Rocker start. 

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