Texas Rangers Swept by Reds in Walk-Off

The Texas Rangers were swept by the struggling Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday after losing in walk-off fashion for the second time in the series.

Kade Kistner | Apr 26, 2023

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Despite starter Jon Gray reaching 1,000 career strikeouts, the Texas Rangers were swept by the Cincinnati Reds with a 5-3 loss on Tuesday at Great American Ballpark.

Cincinnati (10-15) won it on Nick Senzel's two-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth off right-hander Jonathan Hernández.

The Rangers (14-10) have lost three in row and were swept for the first time this season. Gray reached a career milestone but his quality start didn't end in a win with the Rangers held in check by Reds starter Graham Ashcraft.

Texas third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Travis Jankowski exited the game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand and diving awkwardly for a ball, respectively.

Both have been productive cogs in the offensive machine Texas has put together and their absence was felt on Wednesday afternoon.

Two of the Rangers' three runs of the day came in the fifth inning when Nathaniel Lowe recorded an RBI-double to score Marcus Semien and Adolis García notched a sac fly to score Leody Taveras.

Perhaps the most encouraging performance was that of right-hander Josh Sborz. After two-straight days of the bullpen blowing late leads, Sborz turned in two scoreless innings.

Texas tied the game 3-3 in the top of the ninth. Jonah Heim led off with a double and replaced with pinch runner Bubba Thompson, who scored on Brad Miller's sac fly.

Senzel's first home run of the season gave Hernández his first loss. The Reds also won the series opener 7-6 in walk-off fashion.

The Rangers play host to the New York Yankees in a four-game series at Globe Life Field beginning Thursday. Andrew Heaney (2-1, 4.34) will take the mound for Texas and is slated to face Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (4-0, 0.79 ERA).

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Published Apr 26, 2023

KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies, Cubs and Astros. He is also an editor for Inside the Rangers. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.