The Texas Rangers scored six runs while the Kansas City Royals scored three runs.
With Bruce Bochy off handling personal matters, the Rangers elevated bench coach Luis Urueta to manager for the evening. The former Miami Marlins interim manager is now 1-0 at the helm for Texas as he piloted the squad to a 6-3 comeback victory.
The Rangers needed a comeback effort as tonight’s spot starter Caleb Boushley allowed three first inning runs. It could have been much worse for Boushley and the Rangers as the Jacob
deGrom stand-in didn’t retire any of the first four Royals batters, coughed up a three-run Vinnie Pasquantino dong, and eventually wiggled out of danger in a first inning that nearly went sideways.
After that poor first inning, the Rangers got a couple more frames out of Boushley and held the Royals off the board the rest of the way. Jacob Latz spelled Boushley with 3.1 shutout innings and then Shawn Armstrong and Hoby Milner finished off the contest with an inning plus of scoreless ball apiece.
Meanwhile, after trailing early, the Rangers tied the game in the seventh and then worked around several boneheaded plays on the bases to eventually breakthrough in the ninth. It was a rare two out rally for Texas to load the bases before tonight’s cleanup hitter Kyle Higashioka doubled to provide the winning runs.
In many ways, the Rangers flipped the script of the Royals as they were the team that battled back and overtook Kansas City late after the Royals turned off the spigot at the plate following early runs.
Player of the Game: Wyatt Langford hit a leadoff home run and then reached in all five of his plate appearances — including three walks — while scoring three of Texas’ six runs.
Perhaps a point in the negative column for Langford was running through a stop sign on an infield single trying to score what would have been the go-ahead run in the seventh. I can’t really fault him for trying to make something happen/not believing a hit with RISP would happen for the Rangers, though.
Up Next: The Rangers and Royals close out this series with LHP Patrick Corbin set to take the mound for Texas against RHP Michael Lorenzen for Kansas City.
The Thursday afternoon first pitch in the series finale from Kauffman Stadium is scheduled for 1:10 pm CT and will be telecast on the Rangers Sports Network.
