The Texas Rangers fell 7-5 to the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Mark Canha's 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI effort at the plate, the Rangers could not pull even when it mattered. Jacob Latz worked 3.1 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits. The Giants out-hit the Rangers 11-10 on the day. The Rangers will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Mark Canha was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Rangers offense.
Jake Burger also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI, Cameron Cauley chipped in, going 2-for-2 with a double, and Michael Helman added to the attack, going 1-for-2. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Jerar Encarnacion led the Giants offense with a 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI day. Willy Adames also contributed, going 1-for-3 with two RBI. Osleivis Basabe added a 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI effort as well. The Giants offense proved to be too much for the Rangers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Jacob Latz got the start, grinding through his innings, working 3.1 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 53 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 4.2 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out three. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. R.J. Dabovich recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Gavin Collyer stood out with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out three. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Giants got on the board first with a run in the second inning. Giants plated three runs in the fourth. The Rangers answered with two runs in the sixth. The Rangers tacked on three runs in the seventh. Giants countered with three runs in the eighth. The Giants were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Giants out-hit the Rangers 11-10, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 8,772 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Rangers will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.