Hey y’all and welcome to “Not Your Daddy’s Recap.” If you’re new here, we do things a little differently. Don’t expect a play-by-play, and I do happen to mention whatever crosses my mind.
First, on a personal note, Happy Birthday to my dad. Love you!
Tonight our Rangers take on the Dodgers. I don’t know, I’m optimistic for tonight, and that rarely happens lately. To misquote Han Solo, “I’ve got a good feeling about this.” Grab a drink and settle in.
Minor is on the mound for the Rangers, battling May for the Dodgers.Santana is added to the injured list so Guzzy has been called back.
Today is Jackie Robinson day so all the players are sporting #42 in his honor. Tonight I thought we’d talk about Mr. Robinson as well as the game.
Minor’s first pitch is a strike which is a good omen. Betts bounces one past first into right field for a single. Seager shoots one right up the middle and the Dodgers have runners on first and second with no outs. Minor strikes out Turner. Bellinger smacks it to first and they’re able to get him out, but the runners advance to second and third. Pollock hits to third and is throw out at a first and we get out of the inning allowing no runs.
May strikes out Choo. Solak hits it right to Muncy at first and Muncy beats him to the bag. Trevino hits it almost directly to Betts for the third out of the inning.
Did you know Jackie Robinson’s middle name is Roosevelt, after the former President?
End of one: Dodgers 0, Rangers 0
Taylor shoots one to right but it’s foul. That’s a big “Thank goodness!” Minor strikes him out. Muncy is thrown out at first. Smith pops out to Gallo. Two innings down, no damage.
Gallo starts us off with a walk. Base hit up the middle from Frazier. We have two on and now outs for Dietrich. He hits into a double play, but Gallo takes third. C’mon IKF! Nope, grounder gets him out at first.
Robinson lettered in four sports while at UCLA; Football, basketball, track and baseball. He was an all around athlete.
End of two: Dodgers 0, Rangers 0
We start the inning with Minor walking Hernandez. We are back to Betts who strikes out. Seager gets a walk and the Dodgers have runners at first and second with one out. Taveras makes an absolutely fantastic play and makes the catch at the wall! Hernandez does advance to third. Towering pop up by Bellinger gets caught off of first. Minor gets out of a two walk inning with no runs scored against him. Whew.
Heineman bounces to third and is thrown out at first. Taveras’ speedy legs beat the throw to first and he’s safe. He then steals second for the first steal of his MLB career. Choo smashes a double and Taveras scores. We’re on the board first! May throws to second and the ball gets past his teammate and Choo is off to third with only one out. Solak singles and Choo scores. Trevino flies out to right and Solak remains at second. Solak gets caught stealing for the end of the inning.
Robinson was a lieutenant in the army and served at Fort Hood, right here in Texas.
End of three: Dodgers 0, Rangers 2
Not sure how Pollack got onto first because y’all, I haven’t had a meal yet today and needed to grab a plate of dinner. But anyway, he’s there. Taylor strikes out. Muncy drops one into center and they’ve got runners on first and second with one out. Next batter is out. Minor strikes out Hernandez and the inning is over. See, I knew good things were going to happen tonight!
Gallo gets another at bat since he wasn’t the cause of the third out last inning. He flies out to center. Frazier drops one into center for a single. Dietrich strikes out. IKF can’t drop one in and flies out. Inning is over with no more runs.
Robinson fundraised for the freedom riders and served on the board of the NAACP.
End of four: Dodgers 0, Rangers 2
Betts earns a walk to start the inning. Seager strikes out. Minor is looking good tonight so far (hope I didn’t jinx it). Turner flies out to Heineman. Gallo grabs the ball from Bellinger and we’re again out of the inning safely.
Heineman is up first and is thrown out at first. Taveras strikes out swinging. Choo pops out.
His number, 42, is the only one to be retired through all of baseball, but all players wear 42 on Jackie Robinson day.
End of five: Dodgers 0, Rangers 2
Pollack grounds one to third and is thrown out at first. IKF makes an amazing jumping grab of a ball hit by Taylor. Muncy grounds to IKF and is thrown out at first. See, omens really are something! We retain the lead.
Solak is thrown out at first. Trevino is out but Gallo gets a walk. Frazier is also thrown out at first.
Robinson was the first African American to be a Vice President for a major US corporation.
End of six: Dodgers 0, Rangers 2
Rodriguez in to pitch. Smith grabs a double into left field. Hernandez thrown out at first. Betts strikes out again. Seager gets a double and Smith scores. Turner ties the game with a single into left and steals second. Beaty in to pinch run for Turner who seems to try to be shaking something off after the steal. Bellinger strikes out. Unfortunately I celebrated a little too soon as the Dodgers have tied up the game.
McGee in to pitch. Dietrich smashes a home run and we regain the lead. IKF hits a grounder through to left field for a single. Heineman rolls a single through and we’ve got runners on first and second with no outs. Taveras strikes out. Choo dashes one through the middle for a single and IKF scores while Heineman stops at third. McGee is out and Floro is in to pitch. Solak drops one into right center, Heineman scores. Choo to third, Solak at second. Trevino flies out to right but it’s enough to get Choo home. The Dodgers challenge. The call stands! Gallo gets the intentional walk. Frazier flies out to right. But hey, we get 4 this inning!
In 1982 they put Robinson on a postage stamp.
End of seven: Dodgers 2, Rangers 6
Hernandez comes in to pitch in the eighth. He’s being doing well lately. Pollock pops out to center. Pop out to right for Taylor. Muncy strikes out. ONE TWO THREE!
White to pitch. Dietrich pops out. IKF gets a single into right and then steals second. Heineman pops out to right. Here comes Taveras! He draws a walk. Runners on first and second with two outs and Choo at the plate. He strikes out. All we gotta do is hold on.
Robinson played himself in a movie about his life.
End of eight: Dodgers 2, Rangers 6
Montero is on the mound for the ninth. Guzman also in. He makes quick work of Smith in three pitches. Pederson in to hit for Hernandez. Solak grabs the grounder and throws Pederson out at first. There’s a win coming, I can feel it, can you? GOT BETTS SWINGING.
Want to learn more about Robinson? Visit his museum in New York City, which opened just last year.
Final: Dodgers 2, Rangers 6
