The Rangers beat the Rockies on Sunday in Surprise, 3-1. Texas never trailed in the win and has gone 6-3-1 over its last 10 games to move above .500 for the spring (6-5-3).
The Rangers’ first 2 runs scored on a sac fly from Nate Lowe in the 2nd inning and a tie-breaking go-ahead solo home run by Bubba Thompson in the 7th inning. Josh Jung hit a sacrifice fly in the 8th inning to provide the final margin. Starter Kohei Arihara posted 4.0 shutout innings, the longest outing by a Texas pitcher this spring. Arihara retired each of his final 11 batters faced in the outing, and he has not allowed an earned run in his last 2 starts and 7.0 innings.
Rougned Odor singled and walked in 2 plate appearances along with a pair of fine defensive plays, including a charging barehand catch-and-throw to record the first out of the 2nd inning. Odor has produced a .357/.400/.643/1.043 slash line over his first 7 games this spring. Nick Solak had a single, walk, and stolen base today. Leody Taveras (single) and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (double) both had hits. Adolis García doubled off the wall and scored the Rangers’ final run in the 8th inning. Nate Lowe also walked in the win, along with his sac fly.
Relievers John King (2.0 IP), Ian Kennedy (1.0 IP), and A.J. Alexy (save, 1.0 IP) each posted scoreless outings in the win. It was the first day of Spring Training in which clubs did not have the option to roll innings.
The Rangers also beat the Royals, 2-0, in a 6-inning B game on Sunday at Nolan Ryan Field in Surprise, the club’s third straight day with a B game. Starter Wes Benjamin (3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 41 pitches/25 strikes) allowed just one baserunner (single) in his scoreless outing and recorded an extra out in his 3rd and final inning. Jharel Cotton (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 28 pitches/19 strikes) set down 6 of 8 batters faced and struck out 2 of his final 3 batters faced to end the day. John Hicks went 2-for-2 with 2 doubles and a walk, and scored on a wild pitch in the 5th inning. Steele Walker hit an RBI single in the 6th, a run that was unearned due to an error. Delino DeShields was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Wade Davis, Scott Barlow, and Jesse Hahn were among Kansas City pitchers to appear in the game.
Monday is the Rangers’ second and final off day of Spring Training in 2021. When Texas resumes play on Tuesday, it will begin a stretch of five consecutive night games, as the club will play the Giants in Scottsdale on Tuesday night at 9:05 p.m. CT. LHP Taylor Hearn (0-0, 0.00) is scheduled to start for Texas against San Francisco RHP Johnny Cueto (0-0, 3.60). There is no broadcast scheduled for Tuesday’s contest.