The Texas Rangers earned a 9-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Friday in spring training action. Josh Smith paced the offense, going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, and three RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Jacob Latz turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of 2-run ball with six strikeouts. The Rangers finished with 9 hits on the day while holding the Rockies to 4. The Rangers will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Josh Smith was the key contributor at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, and three RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Rangers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Brandon Nimmo chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a double and three RBI, Andrew McCutchen added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI, and Jake Burger provided support, going 2-for-3. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Charlie Condon led the Rockies offense with a 1-for-2 with an RBI day. Cole Carrigg also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a double. Troy Johnston added a 1-for-2 effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Rangers pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Jacob Latz earned the win after turning in a quality outing, working 4.0 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits with six strikeouts. He threw 66 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 5.0 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out three. 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.
Among the relievers, Carter Baumler stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Rockies got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. The Rangers answered with seven runs in the third. The Rangers tacked on two runs in the fifth. Rockies countered with a run in the seventh. Rockies plated a run in the ninth. The Rangers out-hit Rockies 9-4 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 7,945 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Rangers will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.