The Rangers suffered a 5-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Saturday afternoon at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa.
Texas scored its only run on a 7th-inning RBI double by Anderson Tejeda, who has hits in 4 straight games with a .368/.429/.526/.955 (7-19) slash line in 9 games overall this spring. The Rangers managed only 3 hits in the game, as the club finished with 4 total hits in 2 Cactus League matchups against the A’s (one hit on 3/11 in Surprise).
Starter Kyle Gibson (5.0 IP, 4 R-3 ER) took the loss in his final tune-up before his 1st career Opening Day assignment on Thursday, April 1 at Kansas City. Most of the damage came in Oakland’s 3-run 3rd inning, which included a 2-run triple by Ramon Laureano. Today marked the 1st runs allowed in an ‘A’ game by Gibson, who finishes spring with a 1-1 record and 2.70 ERA (3 ER/10.0 IP) over 3 starts. Josh Sborz struck out 2 of 3 batters faced in a perfect 6th inning, his 7th straight scoreless Oakland outing.
Back in Surprise this morning, the Rangers lost a 3-0 decision to the Royals in a 4-inning ‘B’ game at Nolan Ryan Field. The game was scheduled for 6 innings, but ended prematurely as the Royals ran out of pitching. RHP Jason Bahr (3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R-ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR) started and pitched the bulk of the game for Texas, and John Hicks had the club’s only hit. The Rangers are now 4-2-2 in ‘B’ games this spring, including a 3-2-1 mark against Kansas City.
The Rangers host the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, the club’s final Spring Training contest in Arizona before a pair of exhibition contests on Monday and Tuesday vs. Milwaukee at Globe Life Field. Tomorrow’s first pitch is slated for 2:05 p.m. CT, with RHP Kohei Arihara (0-1, 3.24) due to start against Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (0-1, 2.40). A television broadcast featuring Dave Raymond, C.J. Nitkowski, and Emily Jones will air on FOX Sports Southwest Plus.
From Rangers PR staff reports