The Texas Rangers have picked up where they left off from last season, when they claimed the first World Series championship in franchise history.
The Rangers (5-2) will aim to maintain their solid start when they continue their four-game series against the Houston Astros on Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.
Adolis Garcia and Marcus Semien each hit a three-run homer in Friday’s 10-2 victory over the Astros, who had won the last eight meetings between the teams at Globe Life Field.
Garcia also singled in a run and Semien reached base five times (three hits, two walks) in the win for Texas, which led 5-0 after two innings and finished with 16 hits.
“We want to come out and show everybody that we’re for real again this year, and we mean business,” Rangers catcher Jonah Heim said. “We want to be the attackers.”
Texas will send right-hander Jon Gray (0-0, 12.27 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. Gray will look to bounce back after allowing five runs on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs last Sunday.
“Arm felt weak; it just felt like there was nothing really behind it,” Gray said. “I felt good going into the game, really good, feeling mentally prepared. Thought it was going to be a great one, I’m a little disappointed in that. I tried to battle with what I had, and it wasn’t much.”
Kyle Tucker has one hit in 15 at-bats against the 32-year-old Gray, who is 1-3 with a 4.86 ERA in seven career starts vs. Houston.
Houston will counter on Saturday with right-hander J.P. France (0-0, 4.76 ERA), who received a no-decision after giving up three runs over 5 2/3 innings against the New York Yankees last Sunday.
France, 29, was placed on the paternity list Tuesday before the birth of his daughter. He is in his second year with the Astros after going 11-6 with a 3.83 ERA in 24 outings last season.
Texas’ Corey Seager is 3-for-5 with two homers against France, who is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two career starts against the Rangers.
The Astros were held to three hits on Friday and trailed 10-0 before Jake Meyers hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
Houston first baseman Jose Abreu went 0-for-3 and has two hits in his first 22 at-bats this season. Abreu was moved to the seventh spot in the order for just the third time in his career on Friday.
“I know (Abreu) has also been getting some good ABs against lefties,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before Friday’s game. “Just trying to find a spot where I can get those bats going and try to get some guys comfortable and try to get Jose going. His at-bats last series were much better, so just trying to see what clicks, what works.”
Reliever Miguel Diaz made his Astros debut in Friday’s loss and retired the Rangers in order in the eighth inning. Diaz, 29, was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
“We really like his repertoire,” Espada said. “Trying to get that fastball back to the high 90s (mph) like he was a couple years ago. But we like that he’s in the zone, can get both lefties and righties out if he executes all his pitches. So he’s here; we’ll see what we can get out of him.”
–Field Level Media
