Rangers look to build off Opening Day thriller against Cubs.
The Texas Rangers took the record-setting crowd at Globe Life Field on a thrill ride during their season-opening victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
After unfurling their World Series banner and following it up with a spirited win, the Rangers look for the same result on Saturday when they continue their three-game series against the Cubs in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers will receive their championship rings prior to the contest.
Jonah Heim redeemed himself for an earlier mental miscue by delivering an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning in Texas’ 4-3 victory on Thursday. The win played out in front of the largest regular-season crowd (42,130) in the short history of Globe Life Field, as did his mistake in the ninth in which he allowed Michael Busch to score the go-ahead run from second base following a crazy sequence.
Let’s back up a bit. Chicago seized that 3-2 lead despite replays showing pinch hitter Miles Mastrobuoni’s bat making contact with a pitch by Jose Leclerc. Busch alertly scampered home as Heim, the catcher, lobbied with plate umpire Chad Fairchild that it was a foul tip as opposed to immediately retrieving the ball.
Heim was livid after that sequence, but his emotions quickly changed after Travis Jankowski homered to lead off the ninth inning.
“What happened can’t happen, and I take full responsibility for that,” Heim said. “Thankfully, Travis picked me up there, had my back. A lot of great at-bats in the 10th gave me the opportunity, and I just tried to put something in play.”
Texas hopes to capitalize on that momentum when it sends left-hander Cody Bradford to the mound.
