Texas Rangers Bats Silent After Fast Start Against Seattle Mariners

The Texas Rangers are struggling to score runs late on their current road trip.

Jun 14, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Dylan Moore (25) tags out Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Getting off to a good start beats the alternative, and the Texas Rangers looked good to open up the first inning in the first game of a three-game series at the Seattle Mariners.

A pair of hard-hit balls – by Nathaniel Lowe and rookie Wyatt Langford, respectively – plated two runs off Mariners starter Luis Castillo, giving the visitors a quick lead.

And that was it.

“After that, we just didn’t get much going at all,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said, according to MLB.com.

The Rangers (33-36) hardly threatened again against the American League West leaders, falling 3-2 Friday night at T-Mobile Park. Seattle (41-31) has opened a 6.5-game lead in the division going into Saturday’s second game.

Texas had three hits in the first inning off Castillo, including an infield single by Marcus Semien to lead things off. The Rangers managed just two more hits the rest of the night.

The lack of production is nothing new, especially on this West Coast road trip that started at the Los Angeles Dodgers. After four games against the Dodgers and Mariners, Texas has scored just one run after the third inning.

The bottom four hitters Friday were a combined 0-for-13. The Rangers struck out 11 times. Semien, Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia – the top three hitters – were 2-for-11 as a group.

Castillo settled in after the first inning and combined with three relievers to keep the Texas bats quiet over the last eight innings.

“You’re facing a great pitching staff,” Bochy said. “No one is surprised this was a close game, a low-scoring game. Still, a lot of strikeouts.”

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