The Rangers defeated the Dodgers, 8-6, on Sunday in Glendale. Joey Gallo, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Sam Huff each hit solo home runs, as Texas batters went deep 3 times for the 2nd straight day and matched their spring high with 14 hits (also Thursday vs. CHC).
In his first Cactus League outing, starter Corey Kluber allowed 2 runs in 3.0 innings, recording 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. He did not permit a ball to leave the infield until the 3rd inning, when Kike Hernandez connected for a solo home run. Texas struck for 4 runs on 6 hits in the 5th inning after entering the frame down 2-0, as the bottom of the order opened the inning with 5 consecutive singles. Sam Travis brought home a pair of runs with a single and was followed by an RBI single from Jeff Mathis. Rougned Odor scored Travis later in the inning with a single to right field to plate the club’s 4th run of the frame.
Odor is 6-for-13 and leads the Rangers with 7 RBI this spring. Gallo led off the 6th inning with a solo home run to right field off Tyler Gilbert, and Kiner-Falefa hit his team-leading 2nd spring home run three batters later to give Texas a 6-2 lead. In the 7th inning, Sam Huff launched a solo home run that landed high off the batter’s eye in straightaway center field. Eli White singled and doubled in two at-bats as a reserve. The Rangers received one scoreless inning each from Luke Farrell, Joely Rodríguez, Nick Goody, and Tim Dillard. Joe Kuzia earned the save by inducing a game-ending flyout after entering with the tying run at the plate in the 9th inning.
The Rangers return to Surprise to host Cleveland on Monday at 2:05 p.m. CT. RHP Kyle Gibson is slated to make his Cactus League debut against an Indians pitcher to be determined. Nashville broadcaster Jeff Hem will anchor a radio webcast that can be heard on texasrangers.com and the MLB At-Bat app.