The Rangers saw a multiple-hit game by four players against Oakland on May 27, led by Marcus Semien, who went 3-for-5 in the contest that Texas rallied to win by an 8-5 tally.
“At the top of the lineup, you want to be a run-scorer,” Semien told MLB.com after batting lead-off in the win. “However you score runs, whether it’s walking and getting on base or whatever … I want to score runs. I know when I get on base, I can run the bases well and make something happen. So it’s up to me to get going and set the tone at the top.”
The Rangers acquired Semien this past offseason. Semien signed with a 10-year, $175 million deal, The Dallas Express reported, but the middle-infielder has struggled so far in 2022. (He came into the contests batting under .200 with no home runs after belting a total of 45 as a Blue Jay last season.)
Semien’s first hit was a lead-off single to open the contest. He worked his way around the basepath before Jonah Heim knocked him and Adolis Garcia home with a single in the first, giving Texas an early 2-0 lead.
“You can see what happens when he gets hits, when he gets on base: We score runs,” Rangers Skipper Chris Woodward told MLB.com after the win. “Obviously, the guys behind him are really good, but he can impact the game in a lot of ways, even if he isn’t hitting homers. Like today, he found holes and hit line drives, and when he does that, he can steal bases and can do a lot of things for us offensively. When he goes, we go.”
However, the Rangers saw the early lead vanish when Texas starting pitcher Jon Gray – also a free agent accusation this year – got torched for five earned in the bottom of the third, giving Oakland a 5-2 advantage.
Aside from that third inning, Gray pitched well and lasted six innings, allowing the five runs on five hits while walking three and whiffing five. Gray did not earn a decision in the game and saw his ERA rise to 5.56 after the outing.
Aside from Semien’s multi-hit contest, the Rangers got multi-hit games from Garcia (2-for-4 with an RBI), DH Sam Huff (2-for-4), and Nathanial Lowe, who went 3-for-4 in the win, driving in one runner.
The Rangers slapped-together six unanswered runs in the game, all in the final three innings.
Lowe belted a double to center scoring Kole Calhoun in the top of the seventh, and Brad Miller brought the Rangers a run closer when he knocked in Huff one batter later on a fielder’s choice leaving Texas back by a run, 5-4.
Semien led off the eighth inning with a single, and Garcia knocked him in with a double to tie the game at 5-5.
Calhoun walked to lead off the ninth inning and was moved to third on a single by Lowe two batters later.
Andy Ibanez knocked in both runners on a single to center, giving the Rangers the 7-5 lead, and then Semien finished up his night with a single to score Ibanez and give Texas an 8-5 lead.
Following Gray out of the bullpen were Ranger’s relievers Matt Moore – pitching two perfect innings in which he fanned three – and Dennis Santana, who pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out one.
Moore earned the win in the contest, running his record to 2-0, and Santana notched the first save of his MLB career.
The win moves Texas to 21-23 and winners of six of their last 10. The Rangers trail first-place Houston by seven games and second place Anaheim by 5.5 games.
The Rangers will again face Oakland at Ricky Henderson Field on Saturday, May 28, starting at 4:07 p.m. EDT. Probable starting pitchers are Taylor Hearn (2-3, 5.77) for Texas and Zach Louge (2-3, 4.43.)
