Rangers End Five-Game Win Streak Against Cardinals in Final Meeting of 2026 Season
The Texas Rangers lost game three of the series against the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-3, to end their season-high five-game win streak. MacKenzie Gore started on the mound for the Rangers today but did not have the best outing as he allowed nine hits, four earned runs, and walked three batters. For the Cardinals, Andre Pallante started the day, executing his outing with success as he pitched 5.2 innings, only allowing one earned run and three hits, getting his team back in the win column with a record of 32-38. The Rangers, now 30-32, have an off day tomorrow and are eager to head back to Globe Life Field to take on the Cleveland Guardians, who are at 36-27, to start their homestand on June 5th for a three-game series.
Joc Pederson’s Power Surge Continues
Joc Pederson has been on an absolute tear for the Rangers in the last two weeks, dating back 12 games from May 20th to June 3rd, with a batting average of .283 and an OPS of 1.036. During this time, the two-time World Series Champion got 13 hits; six of those being home runs, 11 runs batted in, and only striking out six times. He’s even got a triple, coming from the last game of the Cardinals series, which scored two runs. It’s exciting to highlight that because the two-time all-star hasn’t been exactly known for his speed, as he’s been a power hitter all of his career. It’s safe to say that the former two-time World Series Champion has been carrying this Rangers’ offense recently since they were caught in a slump to start their rollercoaster of a season.
Cardinals Bullpen Slams the Door
Pallante and company had a terrific day on the mound for the Cardinals as they were trying to keep the red-hot Rangers from going back home with two sweeps in their pocket on the road, and they did that with ease. The score, ending in 5-3, may seem like the game was close, but on paper, it wasn’t. The 27-year-old righty allowed his only run in the top of the third with two outs on a one-run single grounded to center field against Josh Jung, who has also been a key factor in Texas’ aforementioned win streak. Other than that, he was lights out, and it allowed his teammates in the bullpen to finish things out. The Rangers have had some late-game heroics as of late, with their come-from-behind win on June 2nd being the perfect example, as they notched three runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead and win the game. In this game, the aforementioned hitting success of Pederson was on display as he got his squad within two runs at the top of the seventh with a two-run triple, but it wasn’t enough, as Riley O’Brien and Ryne Stanek shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings. Those two combined for one hit allowed in those two innings; a single from the newly called-up Cody Freeman.
The Rangers Offense and Pitching Need to Stay Hot
It’s not a secret that the Rangers can be extremely competitive and go toe-to-toe against the best in the MLB, but they can also have their bad stretches and make life a living nightmare for themselves and the fans. Just last week, on Memorial Day, they suffered a combined no-hitter from the Astros and were the laughing stock of the league for a short while. It’s up to manager Skip Schumaker to establish a solid game plan for his squad and give his players the fire and confidence needed to go against a great Guardians team. The Guardians are 5-5 in their last ten games, but what’s most fascinating is their record on the road, sitting at an unbelievable 19-13 on the season. They have a better road record than some teams have at home. The Rangers have a home record of 15-13, so they have somewhat of an advantage for themselves, but it’ll be an early-season test to show how they’ve grown in the last week or so during their win streak, and see if they can ride that momentum back to Arlington, TX.
