The Rangers tied the San Francisco Giants, 7-7, on Friday afternoon in Scottsdale. Texas led 7-6 after the seventh, but failed to secure the win after surrendering a two-out solo home run in the final frame.
Texas opened the scoring in the top of the first when Brad Miller worked a leadoff walk, stole second base, then stole third and came home score on an errant throw by Giants catcher Curt Casali. Miller (1-for-3) has hits in all 8 games in which he’s appeared this spring, slashing .417/.417/.875/1.292 with a team-high 10 hits in 24 plate appearances.
San Francisco answered in the bottom of the second by hanging four runs on Kolby Allard, who entered following a scoreless first inning by ‘opener’ Dennis Santana. Allard was the victim of multiple weakly-hit infield singles and a Marcus Semien error in the frame, recovering to produce scoreless sides in the third and fourth innings.
Both teams would remain scoreless until the sixth, when the Rangers struck for a pair of runs on a bases-loaded single by Matt Carpenter. Wilmer Flores made it a 5-3 ballgame in the bottom half with a solo shot off Cole Ragans, who struck out five of 13 batters faced over 2.2 innings in his first-ever Cactus League ‘A’ game appearance.
Texas would retake the lead in the seventh, plating four runs on an RBI double by Jonathan Ornelas and booming three-run home run by J.P. Martinez that ricocheted off the back wall of the Giants’ bullpen in right field. Josh Sale, a former first round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays (2010) who the Rangers signed to a minor league contract this offseason following a seven-year hiatus from professional baseball, doubled to get the rally started.
With the Giants down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth, Austin Dean connected for a game-tying solo home run off left-hander Lucas Jacobsen.
Adolis García reached base safely in all three of his tips to the plate (2-for-2, 2B, BB), raising his spring on-base pct. to a sterling .414. Jose Trevino (0-for-4) started at catcher and spent all nine innings behind the plate.
The Rangers and Royals played to a 2-2 tie in a 5 ½ inning ‘B’ game this morning at Nolan Ryan Field in Surprise. RHP A.J. Alexy started for Texas, posting the following line: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 54 pitches/32 strikes. The only run he allowed was unearned due to an error in the 1st inning. Alexy allowed doubles in the 2nd and 3rd frames, but stranded the runners in scoring position both times. The Rangers scored twice in the top of the 6th to tie the game. Andy Ibanez notched a game-tying RBI single and drew a walk. Cody Freeman went 2-for-2 and scored a run. LHP Amir Garrett started for Kansas City and was followed by a trio of KC bullpen regulars: RHPs Scott Barlow and Josh Staumont, and LHP Jake Brentz.
Texas will face the Cleveland Guardians in Surprise tomorrow night at 8:05 p.m. CT, the Rangers’ only night-time start of the spring slate. Texas RHP Matt Bush (0-0, 0.00) is expected to start in a bullpen game against Guardians RHP Shane Bieber (0-1, 27.00). There will be a live television broadcast of tomorrow’s contest available on Bally Sports Southwest Extra, with Dave Raymond and CJ Nitkowski on the call. 105.3 The FAN will also air a live radio broadcast featuring Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks.
From Rangers PR staff reports
