Rangers Lose First Game of Doubleheader at Guardians

Cleveland hits Texas starter Jon Gray for four runs in the third inning while a Rangers rookie had a personal milestone

The Texas Rangers’ tailspin continued on Tuesday, as they dropped the first game of a doubleheader with the Cleveland Guardians, 6-3, at Progressive Field.

The Rangers (25-29) have now lost six of their last seven games. On May 31, the Rangers reached .500 for the first time in 2022 and capped off a stretch in which they won six of seven to get to .500.

This game was supposed to be played on Monday night. But rain delayed and ultimately forced the game to be postponed. The start of the first game of the doubleheader was delayed nearly 90 minutes due to rain.

Game 2 is supposed to start shortly after the end of Game 1. While the Rangers were playing Game 1 with Cleveland (25-25), the Los Angeles Angels announced they had fired manager Joe Maddon.

None of the delays helped Rangers starter Jon Gray (1-3). After his sharpest outing of the season last week — in which he struck out 12 against Tampa Bay — he lasted five innings, but he wasn’t close to last week’s form. He gave up six hits, five runs (all earned) and four walks while striking out three. He gave up three doubles, and all of them had a hand in the Guardians building a 5-1 lead after three innings.

Gray limited Cleveland to one run in the bottom of the second, as Oscar Gonzalez’s double moved Josh Naylor into scoring position. Naylor scored on a Steven Kwan sacrifice fly.

But, in the third, he couldn’t slow down the Guardians. Owen Miller’s RBI single scored Myles Straw, who drew a lead-off walk, and Amed Rosario, who singled. That made it 3-1 Guardians.

Then, back-to-back doubles by Naylor and Gonzalez brought home two more runs.

Texas scored a run in the first inning as Marcus Semien and Corey Seager hit back-to-back singles. But, the Rangers couldn’t get to Cal Quantrill (3-3), who escaped the jam without too much damage. Adolis García grounded into a fielder’s choice, which moved Semien to third but led to Seager’s force-out. Then, Kole Calhoun reached on a fielder’s choice that forced out García and allowed Semien to score. Sam Huff grounded out to end the inning.

The Rangers put two more runs on the board in the seventh inning with home runs by Steele Walker and Marcus Semien. Walker’s home run was his first Major League hit and home run. Semien’s home run was his fourth in the last 10 days.

Cleveland had its ninth postponement of the season on Monday. The Guardians have seen seven of their home games postponed due to weather, one game postponed due to COVID-19 and one road game postponed due to weather.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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