June 28, 2022 - Game 73
W - Jon Gray (4-3)
L - Jonathan Heasley (1-4)
S - None
HR: TEX: Semien (8); KC: Isbel (1)
Time of Game: 2:51
Rangers Cowboy Hat Winner: Jon Gray (2nd)
Game Recap
The Rangers looked on Tuesday to build after a Monday six-run thumping of the Royals. Texas manager Chris Woodward did a little shakeup in the lineup Tuesday, including switching Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, where Semien follows Seager instead of the traditional Semien/Seager combination. Meanwhile, Jon Gray got another road start tonight in Kansas City on the pitching side. Gray is coming off three decent starts against the Phillies, Tigers, and White Sox. The Royals sent a Texas native, Jonathan Heasley, to face the Rangers. Heasley is a Plano native who made three starts in 2021 and his tenth start Tuesday. Entering the night, the Rangers needed a win to get within one game of .500. "We had a terrible first month of the season," Jon Gray said on getting to the .500 mark. "Every since that first month, we've been playing good baseball and it think if we keep our heads down to what we're doing [and] get better and better and grow as a team, I think we're going to be right where we want to."
Texas' offense got going early again Tuesday. Adolis García doubled to score Marcus Semien to put Texas up 1-0 against Jonathan Heasley. Then in the third inning, Semien did the damage with his bat, launching a three-run homer to left field. Semien missed a few homers on Monday as Marcus pulled a few off-speed pitches. The Royals answered a run in the third with a Bobby Witt Jr. single, scoring Merrifield and cutting the Texas lead to 4-1. The Semien and Corey Seager combination added another three runs. Corey Seager doubled, scoring Brad Miller and Steven Duggar. Then Semien added another RBI total with a sacrifice fly, putting Texas up 7-1.
The Royals hit into three double plays against Jon Gray Tuesday. The Rangers didn't get much on offense after the three runs in the third and fourth innings. In the eighth, Kyle Isbel homered off José Leclerc to cut the Rangers' lead to 7-2. Kansas City added another run on an Andrew Benintendi sacrifice fly. Texas capped off the night with one more run on a Kole Calhoun RBI single, scoring Semien again. "[Seager and Semien] are pillars of our team and you know when they go, we go," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "I don't think anybody in the organization, including myself, was ever worried that these guys are going to produce and put up crooked numbers for us at times."
Jon Gray was fantastic on Tuesday. Gray threw seven innings, allowing one run, five hits, two walks, and struck out eight. Gray was one out on the last start against the Phillies, short from four straight six-inning quality starts. "I think we've had a better mix going on," Jon Gray said. "The ball is jumping out a little better now and we're using a mix." José Leclerc did allow two runs in his outing as Leclerc still tries to figure it out while he's back since July 2020. Dennis Santana closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning.
Postgame Notes
The Rangers are 17-0 when the team accumulates eleven hits or more.
Texas is 20-27 against right-handed starters after Tuesday's win
Adolis García set a new career-high with a ten-game hitting streak
Josh Smith ties Nick Solak for the franchise record for reaching base in consecutive games to begin an MLB career (11).
Tuesday was the first game in 2022 that Marcus Semien and Corey Seager each had RBIs.
Adolis García has driven in a run in four straight road games.
Tuesday was Jon Gray's tenth start on the road (most in MLB). Gray started three games at home in 2022.
The last time Steven Duggar got caught trying to steal was May 11th, 2019. He had stolen a base successfully in twelve straight attempts.
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