Jonathan Hernandez’s role in Rangers’ bullpen becoming clearer after impressive outing against Giants

The Rangers may not be defining traditional roles in their bullpen right now, but there is at least one guy with a defined job: Jonathan Hernandez.

The role?

“I find the most difficult spot in the game and put him in it; that’s it,” manager Chris Woodward said after Hernandez smothered San Francisco for two innings in a 9-5 win Sunday. “You see the confidence and the calmness he shows in difficult situations. That’s pretty rare for a young player. He’s going to face some adversity, but the maturity for his age makes him very impressive. He wants to be great.”

Also of use: A whippy fastball that ranged up to 99 mph on Sunday. After Ian Gibaut and Jesse Chavez failed to protect a lead through the middle innings, the Rangers scored four times in the top of the seventh to take the lead. Hernandez retired six of the seven batters he faced, four of them on strikeouts.

In his last outing, on Wednesday, Hernandez had surrendered a 2-0 lead in the seventh. When the situation presented itself again Sunday, Woodward didn’t hesitate. Hernandez responded.

“I have to earn the job,” Hernandez said. “My pitches were a lot better than last time. Last time, I didn’t do it. I didn’t leave the game how I found it. I spent a lot of time [since Wednesday] studying myself and my mechanics in the hotel room. I went out there to attack, attack, attack.”

For his work, Hernandez earned the win on a decision by scorer Michael Duca, who ruled that Jesse Chavez, who had been the expected pitcher of record, had a brief and ineffective outing. He allowed two hits, including a game-tying homer.

Briefly: The Rangers wanted to keep LHP Kolby Allard to less than 80 pitches in his starting debut after pitching in the bullpen for 10 days. He ended up with 75 in four innings. … LHP Joely Rodriguez was scheduled to throw live BP on Sunday and could be added to the bullpen for Tuesday’s game at Oakland. … In the Rangers’ five losses this season, 15 of the 28 runs allowed began as free bases (walks, hit batsmen, errors). The Rangers walked 11 Saturday in their 7-3 loss to San Francisco. Six of those runs started as walks or hit batters.

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