The Milwaukee Brewers handed the Texas Rangers a 5-1 loss at Surprise Stadium on Thursday in spring training play. Despite Ezequiel Duran's 1-for-1 with an RBI effort at the plate, the Rangers could not overcome a sizable deficit. Kumar Rocker worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits. The Brewers out-hit the Rangers 11-8 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Rangers continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Ezequiel Duran was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-1 with an RBI. His consistent contact set the tone for the lineup. The Rangers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Sam Haggerty added to the attack, going 1-for-2, Corey Seager provided support, going 1-for-2, and Jake Burger also contributed, going 1-for-2. The Rangers showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Tyler Black led the Brewers offense with a 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, and two RBI day. Gary Sánchez also contributed, going 1-for-4 with an RBI. Luis Castillo added a 1-for-1 with an RBI effort as well. The Brewers offense proved to be too much for the Rangers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Kumar Rocker took the loss after running into trouble, working 2.2 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits with one strikeout. He threw 40 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.7 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out eight. The Rangers continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Tate Kuehner recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Cole Winn stood out with 1.2 innings of 2-run work, striking out three. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Brewers got on the board first with two runs in the third inning. Brewers tacked on two runs in the fourth. The Rangers countered with a run in the fourth. Brewers struck back with a run in the ninth. The Brewers were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Brewers out-hit the Rangers 11-8, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 3,882 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Rangers will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.