34-34 – Aggressive Rangers reach .500 with 4-2 win over Royals

The Texas Rangers scored four runs while the Kansas City Royals scored two runs.

Methinks the Rangers were feeling a tad aggrieved today with the Royals making the call to delay the game for more than two hours to protect their depleted pitching staff. Despite the sun staying out the entire time, the thought of a potential shower caused KC to halt the game before it even began because they couldn’t afford to have their starter exit early after a delay.

It never rained, meaning we all sat around waiting for no reason. That’s probably especially annoying for the Rangers as they’re in the midst of a stretch where they’re playing 23 games over the next 24 days and are in the middle of a road trip with a flight to catch.

Perhaps peeved, the Rangers scored a run apiece in each of the first three innings with some aggressive sends on the bases. That aggressiveness was a mixed bag as, by the end of the game, three Rangers were thrown out trying to take an extra base at third base.

Though they couldn’t break through with a big inning to perhaps get today’s starter Michael Wacha out of the game early, they did pressure the Royals with 11 hits overall on the day and ultimately held the Royals to just two runs while never trailing.

Despite those two KC runs, the Rangers also erased a few threats from they Royals by turning three double plays. Texas got 4.1 scoreless innings from the bullpen — including two more hitless innings from Jacob Latz, who struck out three — with starter Kumar Rocker lifted after 4.2 innings despite being at just 83 pitches as they decided to avoid letting him face the Royals’ middle-of-the-order left-handed hitters a third time in a one run game at the time.

With the win, the Rangers claimed their fourth series in a row to, yes, once again reach .500. Now the new goal is getting over the hump.

Player of the Game: A day after a miserable game for Corey Seager, the team’s sputtering superstar contributed a couple of hits, including a third inning solo home run for Texas’ third run.

Seager also singled and scored on a double by Brandon Nimmo for the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. Seager isn’t very swift these days, and wasn’t even running very hard, so it was an aggressive send even as KC right fielder Lane Thomas kind of kicked the ball around in the corner.

For his trouble, Seager got smacked in the face on a collision with catcher Carter Jensen at the plate. Luckily, he stayed in the game and the Rangers finished off another series win in June.

Up Next: After a later than expected end to their getaway game, the Rangers jet off to Boston to open a series against the Red Sox on the east coast beginning tomorrow night. RHP Jack Leiter is expected to make the start for Texas opposite RHP Sonny Gray for Boston.

The Friday evening first pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 6:10 pm CDT and will be aired via the Rangers Sports Network or locally on CW33.

‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’

‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source sports.yahoo.com ’