The Texas Rangers rolled to a 15-9 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on Friday in spring training action. Jake Burger paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. MacKenzie Gore worked 1.2 innings on the mound, allowing 7 earned runs on 6 hits. The Rangers finished with 18 hits on the day while holding the Royals to 10. The victory gives the Rangers positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Jake Burger was the top performer at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Rangers confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Wyatt Langford provided support, going 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI, Kyle Higashioka also contributed, going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI, and Jonah Bride chipped in, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Drew Waters led the Royals offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI day. Josh Rojas also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI. John Rave added a 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Rangers pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
MacKenzie Gore got the start, struggling with his command, working 1.2 innings while allowing 7 earned runs on 6 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 53 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Rangers evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.4 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out 13. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Peyton Gray recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Aidan Anderson stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Rangers struck first, scoring four runs in the first inning. Royals countered with seven runs in the first. The Rangers struck back with two runs in the second. The Rangers added a run in the third. Royals responded with a run in the third. The Rangers countered with four runs in the fourth. The Rangers plated two runs in the fifth. Royals answered with a run in the eighth. The Rangers responded with two runs in the ninth. The Rangers spread their scoring across six different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Rangers out-hit Royals 18-10 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 6,374 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Rangers can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.