The Rangers suffered a walk-off loss to the Dodgers on Monday night in Glendale, 5-4. Ryan Rua hit a solo homer in the 2nd inning and Rougned Odor clubbed a 3-run home run in the 5th inning to give Texas a 4-0 lead. After a Drew Robinson error loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 5th, starter Derek Holland was one out from escaping the jam but gave up a game-tying grand slam to Justin Turner. The contest remained tied until the Dodgers’ Charlie Culberson hit a game-ending RBI single with 2 outs in the 9th. Odor now leads the team with 4 home runs and 11 RBI (tied) this spring. He is batting .464 (13-28) over a current 8-game hit streak. Rua is hitting .440 this spring to go along with team highs in extra-base hits (9) and total bases (36). Elvis Andrus had a single and walk, as he now has hits in 5 straight. All 4 runs allowed by Holland tonight were unearned due to the error in the 5th inning, and Holland’s spring ERA is now 2.05. Pitchers Tony Barnette, Andrew Faulkner and Jake Diekman all pitched scoreless innings, as that relief trio has combined to allow just 3 runs over 25.0 innings in Cactus League games.
Texas plays in Glendale again tomorrow, a 3:05 p.m. CT contest against the White Sox. RHP A.J. Griffin (1-1, 4.40) is slated to start against Sox ace LHP Chris Sale (0-0, 4.76). There is no Rangers broadcast for the game, although the White Sox will do a radio broadcast and webcast that can be found at MLB.com or with the MLB At Bat App.
