Rangers open season with series loss at home

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  • Rangers open season with series loss at home
    Rangers open season with series loss at home
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Lynn gets win on opening day

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ARLINGTON—The Texas Rangers opened their season with a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies this weekend. The Rangers would lose the series after shutting the Rockies out 1-0 in the opener on Friday.

Lance Lynn got the nod on Friday to be the Opening Day starter for the Rangers and didn’t disappoint. Lynn went six full innings, allowing just two hits and four walks, as he struck out nine to pick up his first win of the season.

Helping him get the win was second basemen Rougned Odor, whose twoout RBI in the bottom of the sixth gave the Rangers their first and only run of the game.

Relievers Jesse Chavez and Jonathan Hernandez each picked up their first hold of the season; they each threw one inning. Hernandez picked up a pair of strikeouts in his inning of work, while Chavez struck out one.

Jose Leclerc struggled in his first save appearance, opening the inning with six straight balls, but was able to find his rhythm. He got out of the inning unscathed and picked up his first save of the new season.

The Rangers tallied just three hits in the 1-0, each of which was an extra base hit. Danny Santana and Odor each had a double, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a triple.

GAME 2

The Rangers bats came alive in game two of the series Saturday. Texas tallied eight hits, including a twohit game from Joey Gallo, but would fall to the Rockies, 3-2.

Mike Minor would be credited with the loss despite a strong season debut. Minor threw five innings, allowing two runs, only one of which was earned. In his five innings of work, Minor allowed just three hits and a single walk, while striking out six.

Texas had chances to tie the game or take the lead in each of the final three innings and left a total of 12 runners on base. The Rangers hit 2-10 as a team with runners in scoring positions. Both of the teams’ runs came via two-out RBI. Shin-Soo Choo singled to right in the bottom of the fifth to score the Rangers first run of the game, and Gallo brought in Elvis Andrus in the bottom of the ninth to bring Texas within one.

GAME 3

Joey Gallo opened things up in the series finale Sunday with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, the first home run in the Rangers new ballpark. In still a 1-0 game, Nick Solak single to bring in Elvis Andrus in the bottom of the third to give the Rangers a quick 2-0 lead.

Colorado answered back with a three-run fourth inning, and the Rangers were never able to bounce back. The Rockies added another run in the top of the ninth and won the rubber-match game by a score of 5-2.

Newley acquired Corey Kluber started the game for the Rangers but pitched just one inning after experiencing shoulder tightness. Kluber walked one and struck out one in his inning of work. Joe Palumbo, who re

Joe Palumbo, who replaced Kluber in the second inning, picked up the loss. Palumbo allowed three runs, all of which were earned, over two innings. He was replaced by Jesse Chavez in the fourth inning, who looked good in his second appearance of the season. Chavez allowed just one walk in his two innings on the mound and didn’t allow a hit or a run.

Texas hit much better with runners in scoring positions in game three, going 2-4 in such situations and only allowed four runners on base for the entire game. Robinson Chirinos and Willie Calhoun are the only starters for Texas who are still seeking their first hits of the season.

The Rangers stay at home for the next series against the Arizona Diamondbacks before hitting the road for a six-game road stand. Texas hosts Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday but won’t play another home game until Friday, Aug. 7 when they will host the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game series.