SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Rangers beat a split squad Diamondbacks team on Sunday in Surprise, 7-2. After trailing 2-1 early, Texas scored 5 times in the middle innings to pull away in winning a fourth straight game in Surprise. Delino DeShields’ speed played a role in 2 of the Rangers’ first 3 runs today. He reached on an infield single in the first inning and later scored as part of a double steal with Rougned Odor in that frame. DeShields laid down a bunt single to open the 5th inning, reaching 3rd on the play after a throwing error by the pitcher, and he would score the go-ahead run when Odor followed with an RBI single. DeShields has an 11-game on-base streak, and he has gone 6-for-13 in his last 5 contests. Odor added a walk to his RBI single, and he is batting .364 (8-22) over his last 9 games.
Hunter Pence was 1-for-2 with a stolen base today, extending his hit streak to 9 straight games at .481 (13-27). Pence now has a team-high 5 steals in Cactus League games. Elvis Andrus doubled off the center field wall in the 5th inning and his slash line this spring is now .522/.542/.739/1.281. Texas starter Yohander Méndez exited the game with left elbow tightness, and the club announced that he will be further evaluated on Monday. Méndez left the contest after whiffing the D-backs’ Matt Szczur to open the top of the 3rd inning. After Méndez departed, five Texas relievers combined to hold Arizona scoreless the rest of the way: Jeffrey Springs (2.2 IP), Shawn Kelley (1.0 IP), José Leclerc (1.0 IP), Chris Martin (1.1 IP), and Kyle Bird (0.2 IP). A St. Patrick’s Day crowd of 7,628, the largest Rangers attendance of the spring in Surprise, saw the contest in which both teams wore green-trimmed hats and socks.
The Rangers host the Dodgers on Monday night in a 9:05 p.m. CT contest in Surprise, the team’s final evening tilt in the Arizona portion of the exhibition season. LHP Mike Minor (0-1, 5.63) will start for Texas against Los Angeles RHP Ross Stripling (0-0, 2.08).
From Rangers PR staff reports
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