Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

Texas Rangers fans sit in stunned disbelief after the final out in their 11-10 loss to the Angels during the Los Angeles Angels vs. the Texas Rangers major league baseball game at Globe Life Park in Arlington on Saturday, October 3, 2015. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News)

By Adam Schrader

ARLINGTON — For nine innings Saturday, a crowd of more than 37,000 at Globe Life Park tried to jump and scream and will the Texas Rangers to a crucial victory against the Los Angeles Angels.

But after the Angels’ stunning 11-10 comeback victory, fans left filled mostly with disappointment and dread, knowing their team’s hopes of wrapping up the AL West Division title remained in the balance.

“We had the Angels on the ropes and just couldn’t keep them there,” said a frustrated Lynn Jimerson of Mansfield.

After the meltdown, the Rangers’ future was very much uncertain. If the Houston Astros lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday night, the Rangers would automatically win the division crown. If not, they faced a final, must-win game Sunday against their rivals from Anaheim, Calif.

The Rangers are in the playoffs regardless, but that knowledge didn’t take the edge off Saturday’s shocking defeat for fans like Daniel Parisi of Flower Mound.

“They had a golden opportunity to close it out,” he said.

Parisi said he was disheartened to see fans heading for the exits after the Angels’ Carlos Perez tied the game with a single in the bottom of the ninth.

“At least stick it out and go down with the ship like a real fan,” he said.

Fans were thrilled when the Rangers struck first with Josh Hamilton’s solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. But their smiles gradually turned downward as Angels built a 5-1 lead several innings later.

The emotional ups and downs continued. Heading into the ninth inning, though, the Rangers owned a 10-6 lead and seemed to have things in hand.

Then it happened: The Angels mounted their biggest comeback of the season — including back-to-back home runs surrendered by closer Shawn Tolleson — and Johnny Giavotella finally dispatched the Rangers with the hit that sent Perez home with the game-winning run.

“They should have left Jake Diekman in there and let him finish it off,” Parisi said. “You could just feel the negativity everywhere when Tolleson gave up those runs.”

Drew Carpenter of Arlington was trying to keep a positive outlook. He said it feels good that the lengths of time between Rangers playoff trips seems to be getting shorter.

“This is a more balanced team than the 2010 and 2011 [AL] championship teams,” he said. “Our pitching and offense is good. They may not be as explosive at times as it was then, but it’s pretty consistent.”

And John Gonzales of Euless noted that Rangers fans have dialed up their support to a high level.

“In previous games this year, other fans just sat down and watched. I think it’s going to be a standing crowd today,” he said before game time. “I like it when they stand up and cheer.”

Stand and cheer they did on Saturday. In the end, though, it just wasn’t quite enough.