Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers traded for Jordan Montgomery in July.
They are surely glad they did.
Montgomery outdueled Tyler Glasnow to lead the Rangers to a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Tuesday’s Game 1 of the best-of-three American League Wild Card Series at Tropicana Field.
The southpaw, who has been traded twice in the last two years, turned in a brilliant performance of seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts and six hits allowed. Arguably his best moment came with his glove, as his diving catch on a bunted popup by Jose Siri with runners on the corners and one out in the second inning stymied early momentum for the Rays.
Montgomery drew rave reviews for his catch and overall performance from social media:
B/R Walk-Off @BRWalkoff
Jordan Montgomery DELIVERED in Game 1 😤 pic.twitter.com/NGKRqdNxBp
Texas Rangers @Rangers
JORDAN. MONTGOMERY.
MLB @MLB
The #postseason means you go all out! pic.twitter.com/7G3cfkMSMG
Texas Rangers Insider @RangersInsiders
JORDAN MONTGOMERY WITH THE BEST PLAY IVE EVER SEEN FROM A PITCHER. OH. MY. GOSH.
Ryan Fagan @ryanfagan
Jordan Montgomery’s free-agent price just keeps going up and up.
Brice Paterik @BricePaterik
Keeping Jordan Montgomery in a Texas Rangers uniform for a long time has to be a huge priority, if not top, this winter.
Pinstripe Alley @pinstripealley
Jordan Montgomery just outpitched Tyler Glasnow in the postseason. So again: good one, Cash!!! https://t.co/qs5Klz8Xe0
Mike Zimmelman @MZimmel
Jordan Montgomery getting traded from the #Yankees is the best thing that could of ever happened to him.
He’s completely revitalized his career between St. Louis and Texas.
Matt Zemek @MattZemek
Jordan Montgomery is a big man.
Holy moly, what a play!
Ryan Foster @ryan05foster
jordan montgomery is about to get paid so much money this offseason
Cameron Kerr @KerrCameron
Jordan Montgomery is a DOG
Texas didn’t need much run support given the pitching performance, but it got some in part because of ugly fielding from the Rays. Tampa Bay finished the game with four errors, which forced Glasnow to use his strikeout prowess to pitch out of trouble a number of times.
One of those times came in the fifth inning when he allowed just one run because of a wild pitch after loading the bases with nobody out.
Yet he exited in the sixth inning with two runners on before Corey Seager singled up the middle off Chris Devenski. That alone would have been trouble for the Rays, but Siri misplayed the ball and then airmailed the throw to third, allowing two runs to score.
B/R Walk-Off @BRWalkoff
Rangers go up 4️⃣ on this play 😅
(via @Rangers)pic.twitter.com/MJxCTILtBl
B/R Walk-Off @BRWalkoff
The Rays defense today pic.twitter.com/FgAosYGAeh
That made it 4-0 in favor of the Rangers, which was more than enough for Montgomery.
He escaped that second inning with his own diving play and a strikeout of Rene Pinto, worked around a runner on third in the third inning and settled in from there before handing the ball to Aroldis Chapman and José Leclerc for the final two frames.
Now his team can win the series in Game 2 on Wednesday.
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