Texas Rangers

First pitch delayed for tonight's Rangers-D'backs game

The Texas Rangers won't start their game on time tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

There is no timeframe as to when they hope to start, but both teams would like to get the game in tonight. The D'backs have a day game on Friday in Chicago, which makes a potential doubleheader undesirable.

The Rangers said it would take at least one hour to get the field ready for the game. A first storm has passed through, however, a second storm is expected to come.

-- Drew Davison

Rangers video: Grounds crew battles the elements

A flash thunderstorm soaked Rangers Ballpark around 5:45 p.m., and the grounds crew had their hands full trying to get the tarp on the field as high winds made their lives difficult. Here's a two-minute clip of the battle. Video by Jeff Wilson.

 

 

 

 

Today's Rangers-Diamondbacks lineups

The Texas Rangers kept their same lineup going into today's game as they did for Wednesday's game that was postponed. The Rangers and D'backs simply pushed their starters back a day.

Texas -- 1. Elvis Andrus, ss; 2. David Murphy, lf; 3. Lance Berkman, dh; 4. Adrian Beltre, 3b; 5. Nelson Cruz, rf; 6. Mitch Moreland, 1b; 7. A.J. Pierzynski, c; 8. Jurickson Profar, 2b; 9. Leonys Martin, cf.

RHP Justin Grimm (4-3, 4.05 ERA)

Arizona -- 1. Gerardo Parra, rf; 2. Didi Gregorious, ss; 3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1b; 4. Eric Chavez, 3b; 5. Maritn Prado, 2b; 6. Miguel Montero, c; 7. Jason Kubel, dh; 8. Cody Ross, lf; 9. A.J. Pollock, 2b.

RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-3, 4.36 ERA)

Ian Kinsler and Colby Lewis have rehab schedules pushed back

Ian Kinsler and Colby Lewis won't be returning to the Texas Rangers as soon as expected.

Kinsler has a stress reaction in his right rib area, which will delay his progress by at least a couple of weeks, general manager Jon Daniels said. Kinsler has not gone through any baseball activities since landing on the disabled list, so it's looking more and more likely that he'll return in late June.

Lewis, meanwhile, experienced muscular soreness behind his elbow and has been pulled off his rehab assignment for at least two weeks. Daniels said Lewis is essentially going through the ups and downs of a spring training.

Daniels offered the following updates:

* Alexi Ogando, on the disabled list with triceps tendinitis, is scheduled for a rehab assignment on Friday with Double A Frisco. Ogando is set to throw five innings and 75 pitches, and could be ready to return to the rotation after that start.

* Martin Perez will start for the Rangers on Saturday, and Yu Darvish will start Sunday.

* Joakim Soria is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday, and the Rangers are hopeful he'll be ready to go by early July.

As far as all the injuries, Daniels said: "Every team has their issues, and we have a number of notable names [on the DL], but nobody is feeling sorry for us."

-- Drew Davison

Diamondbacks 5, Rangers 4 (F)

PHOENIX – The Texas Rangers were in a good position, or so it seemed. They had a two-run lead on the Arizona Diamondbacks and Yu Darvish was pitching well and had matched his career-high in strikeouts.

But it changed suddenly in the eighth inning when Didi Gregorius turned on a pitch and sent it over the right-field fence for a two-run homer that tied the game at 4-4. Darvish faced only one more batter, and the Rangers were reeling to get the momentum back.

They had a chance in the ninth with runners at the corners and two outs, but Elvis Andrus was retired on a grounder back to the mound.

Instead, the D-backs won it in walk-off fashion when Cliff Pennington roped a liner down the first-base line to bring in the game-winning run in a 5-4 victory. Arizona swept Monday’s doubleheader at Chase Field, as Texas has gone 5-5 in its last 10 games.

Rangers reliever Jason Frasor entered for the ninth and gave up a leadoff double to D-backs catcher Miguel Montero. Frasor struck out A.J. Pollock, but Ron Washington then went with left-hander Robbie Ross to face Eric Hinske.

But the D-backs sent Martin Prado up to pinch-hit, and Ross intentionally walked him to set up the at-bat with Pennington.

It was a dramatic end for a game that the Rangers seemed to have in hand.

Darvish gave up two runs in the first inning, but the Rangers battled back from the early deficit with single runs in the second and fourth to tie the game at 2-2, and took the lead in the sixth.

Lance Berkman drew a one-out walk, Adrian Beltre singled to put runners at the corners and A.J. Pierzynski delivered a run-scoring single. Beltre then scored on a groundout by Craig Gentry.

-- Drew Davison

Game 2 Rangers-Diamondbacks lineups: Lance Berkman starts at first

Lance Berkman is making his debut at first base tonight in Game 2 of the Texas Rangers' doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Berkman pinch-hit in the first game. The 15-year big leaguer has played in 737 career games at first base, including 22 last season. He has not seen the field with the Rangers, though, serving as primarily designated hitter and pinch-hitter.

Nelson Cruz won't play in the nightcap after going 1-for-5 with three strikeouts. Instead, manager Ron Washington is going with Leonys Martin in right and Craig Gentry in center.

Texas vs. RHP Trevor Cahill: 1. Elvis Andrus, ss; 2. David Murphy, lf; 3. Lance Berkman, 1b; 4. Adrian Beltre, 3b; 5. A.J. Pierzynski, c; 6. Craig Gentry, cf; 7. Leonys Martin, rf; 8. Leury Garcia, 2b; 9. Yu Darvish, rhp.

Arizona vs. RHP Yu Darvish: 1. Gerardo Parra, rf; 2. Didi Gregorius, ss; 3. Eric Chavez, 3b; 4. Jason Kubel, lf; 5. Miguel Montero, c; 6. A.J. Pollock, cf; 7. Eric Hinske, 1b; 8. Cliff Pennington, 2b; 9. Trevor Cahill, rhp.

Diamondbacks 5, Rangers 3 (F)

PHOENIX – Martin Perez struggled in his season debut, the offense didn’t produce until the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers couldn't pull off an improbable ninth-inning rally in a 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of Monday’s doubleheader at Chase Field.

The Rangers will look to rebound tonight in Game 2 behind Yu Darvish.

Perez, named the 26^th man before the game, ran into trouble early. He gave up a two-out RBI single to Martin Prado in the first, and then allowed two runs (one earned) in the second inning on RBI hits by A.J. Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt.

Perez then worked two scoreless innings before allowing a solo homer to Cody Ross with one out in the fifth inning. He started the sixth, but issued a one-out walk to Cliff Pennington and a single to pinch-hitter Jason Kubel to end his day.

Perez took the loss, and has lost his last four starts in the big leagues. He was in line to be the Rangers' fifth starter in spring training, but broke his left arm and has been recovering from that. He had made four minor-league starts before Monday's outing.

The offense didn’t do much to help. The Rangers had base-runners reach the first five innings against D-backs starter Tyler Skaggs, but never capitalized.

Skaggs, a highly touted left-handed pitching prospect like Perez, scattered three hits over six innings with three walks and nine strikeouts.

The Rangers had their best chances the final three innings against the D-backs bullpen.

Geovany Soto led off the seventh with a single to left-center field, and Craig Gentry drew a walk. But Will Harris ended that threat by getting David Murphy to strike out, Elvis Andrus to fly out to shallow right and Jurickson Profar to strike out.

In the eighth, Nelson Cruz had a one-out double but Mitch Moreland and pinch-hitter Lance Berkman each struck out to end the inning.

The Rangers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, forcing the D-backs to turn to closer Heath Bell. Bell, though, gave up an RBI single to Profar and a two-run single Adrian Beltre as the Rangers brought the go-ahead run to the plate. But Bell struck out Cruz and got Moreland to ground out to end the game.

-- Drew Davison

Game 1 Rangers-Diamondbacks lineups

Elvis Andrus is back in the leadoff spot, and Jurickson Profar is batting second for the first game of today's scheduled doubleheader against the Diamondbacks.

Lance Berkman will be available off the bench for Game 1, and said he's leaving it up to manager Ron Washington if he wants to start him at first base for the nightcap.

Texas vs. LHP Tyler Skaggs: 1. Elvis Andrus, ss; 2. Jurickson Profar, 2b; 3. Adrian Beltre, 3b; 4. Nelson Cruz, rf; 5. Mitch Moreland, 1b; 6. Jeff Baker, lf; 7. Geovany Soto, c; 8. Craig Gentry, cf; 9. Martin Perez, lhp.

Arizona vs. LHP Martin Perez: 1. A.J. Pollock, cf; 2. Didi Gregorious, ss; 3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1b; 4. Cody Ross, lf; 5. Martin Prado, 3b; 6. Gerardo Parra, rf; 7. Wil Nieves, c; 8. Cliff Pennington, 2b; 9. Tyler Skaggs, lhp.

Mariners 4, Rangers 3 (F, 13)

SEATTLE — Jurickson Profar swatted a leadoff homer Sunday, but Raul Ibanez hit a solo homer in the 11th and Jason Bay had an RBI single with two outs in the 13th as Seattle turned back the Rangers 4-3 and avoided a three-game sweep.

The Rangers had taken a 3-2 lead in the 11th inning on a pinch-hit single by A.J. Pierzynski to score Elvis Andrus. But Ibanez hit the first pitch from Joe Nathan in the bottom half into the right-field seats.

Seattle just missed winning it three batters later when Bay lifted a deep flyball to left-center field that David Murphy jumped to catch at the top of the wall.

It was the first blown save for Nathan after converting on 16 straight chances to open the season.

The Rangers went quietly in their half of the 12th before Jason Frasor walked Jesus Sucre and allowed a bunt hit to Brendan Ryan with one out in the 12th.

Michael Kirkman entered to face Chavez and Seager in a matchup of lefties. Chavez bounced into a fielder’s choice as Sucre moved to third, and Seager rolled a grounder to first as the Rangers escaped yet again.

The Mariners pulled an escape act in the 13th, as Yoervis Medina stranded the go-ahead run at third base by striking out Profar and getting Murphy to ground out to second base.

Ibanez flied out to start the 13th, but Morales laced a one-out double to right-center to chase Kirkman and bring Ross Wolf in to match up with Carlos Truinfel and Bay, both right-handed hitters.

Wolf got Truinfel on a tapper back to the mound, but Bay sent a broken-bat floater over Andrus’ head on the first pitch he saw to end the game.

Mariners pitchers had retired 11 straight batters before Andrus opened the 11th with a broken-bat pinch-hit single off Carter Capps and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Leonys Martin.

Pierzynski hit for Leury Garcia, but Seattle countered with Oliver Perez for a lefty-lefty matchup. Pierzynski punched the first pitch into left field, and Andrus raced home to break the tie.

Nick Tepesch allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings, with both coming on a Kendrys Morales homer in the sixth that forged a 2-2 tie. Tepesch was starting for the first time since May 17 after being pushing back five days because of a blister.

He retired the first nine he faced, including three by strikeout, before Endy Chavez started the fourth with a clean single through the middle. Morales added a two-out single, but Michael Morse struck out to end the Mariners’ threat.

Tepesch then quickly retired the first two Seattle hitters in the fifth before suddenly losing his command. He threw six straight balls and allowed a single to Brendan Ryan before escaping on a Chavez pop out.

But Tepesch wouldn’t escape the sixth, which Kyle Seager started with a double to right field. After Raul Ibanez grounded out, Morales’ no-doubter tied the game with his sixth homer of the season.

Cotts cooled off the Mariners over the next 2 1/3 innings, pitching around a leadoff single in the eighth, and Robbie Ross got two outs in the 10th with pinch-runner Triunfel at second base.

-- Jeff Wilson

Sunday's Rangers-Mariners lineups: Jurickson Profar batting first

A planned off day for Elvis Andrus has resulted in Jurickson Profar's first career game as the Rangers' leadoff hitter. The rookie was the choice over Leury Garcia and Leonys Martin because manager Ron Washington felt that Profar had the best chance to reach base ahead of the run producers that follow.

Rangers lineup vs. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma: Jurickson Profar, ss; David Murphy, lf; Lance Berkman, dh; Adrian Beltre, 3b; Nelson Cruz, rf; Mitch Moreland, 1b; Geovany Soto, c; Leonys Martin, cf; Leury Garcia, 2b.

Mariners lineup vs. RHP Nick Tepesch: Endy Chavez, rf; Kyle Seager, 3b; Raul Ibanez, lf; Kendrys Morales, 1b; Michael Morse, dh; Michael Saunders, cf; Dustin Ackley, 2b; Jesus Sucre, c; Brendan Ryan, ss.

-- Jeff Wilson