Braves get rocked by the Rangers

The Braves started out the game on the wrong foot when Elvis Andrus took R.A Dickey deep to begin the game with the Rangers leading 1-0.

R.A Dickey did not have it any easier in the second inning as Mike Napoli drew a leadoff walk and it all went downhill from there. Rougned Odor hit a double to put runners on second and third for Robinson Chirinos who walked in front of the pitcher Andrew Cashner. Cashner hit a sacrifice fly to plate the Rangers second run of the game and during the very next at-bat Kurt Suzuki allowed a passed ball to allow another run to score making it 3-0.

The Rangers beatdown would continue in the third inning when Carlos Gomez doubled and Joey Gallo tripled him home making the game 4-0. Dickey then walked Napoli again and Odor made him pay with a sac fly to center bringing the dredging to 5-0.

Finally in the fourth inning the Braves were able to break through against Andrew Cashner when Nick Markakis drew a walk and Matt Adams blasted his 20^th home run of the season. Sadly the Braves could add no more after a Ruiz single later in the inning and went to the 5^th inning trailing 5-2.

The Rangers wasted no time getting those runs back in the fifth inning as Nomar Mazara hit a homer to center on the first pitch of the inning. R.A Dickey continued to be shaky allowing a double to Carlos Gomez and then was lifted for Matt Wisler later in the inning. Wisler immediately ran into trouble giving up a two-run home run to Rougned Odor to bring the Rangers lead to 8-2.

The Braves would go quietly in the ninth and take the loss to Texas who go above .500 on the season at 69-68. Texas is not quite out of the wild card hunt but can use all the wins they can get. They continue to hit home runs at a torrid pace and lead the league in home runs hit after three more tonight.

Rio Ruiz was great defensively in this game and Adonis Garcia made his return in a pinch hitting situation but the Braves have made it clear that although Danny Santana, Adonis and Johan Camargo are all returning, the majority of the playing time at third for the last month will go to Ruiz.

The Braves will try to turn the series around tomorrow when they send Julio Teheran to the mound to face off against Miguel Gonzalez.