Gray pitches 2-hit ball over 5 innings and Langford hits grand slam to lift Rangers over Royals 6-0
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford hits a grand slam during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday.
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford, left, slaps hands with Jonah Heim (28) after a grand slam against the Kansas City Royals during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Gray (3-3) gave up back-to-back third-inning singles while throwing 51 of 72 pitches for strikes. He gave nine earned runs and 11 hits in three innings-plus last Monday in a 14-2 loss to the New York Mets.
“Terrific job. Good stuff,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of Gray. “It’s good to see him back on track.”
Langford, a 22-year-old rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off a 2-2 slider from Angel Zerpa for the Rangers’ first grand slam this season. Langford is hitting .299 with 18 RBIs in 21 games since returning from a hamstring strain that caused him to miss most of May.
“That was pretty cool,” Langford said. "I even forgot it was a grand slam.”
World Series champion Texas has won three straight following a five-game losing streak. The Rangers have scored at least five runs in four consecutive games for the first time this season.
Kansas City, which tied a season low with three hits, has lost 10 of 13, scoring 36 runs in those games.
Kansas City Royals center fielder Garrett Hampson, left, catches a fly ball by Texas Rangers' Adolis Garcia, next to Adam Frazier during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Josh Smith hit a solo homer in the fourth off Michael Wacha (4-6) and Adolis García hit a run-scoring comebacker in the eighth as Marcus Semien slid home ahead of Zerpa’s throw.
Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Brock Burke finished the three-hitter, just the third shutout against the Royals this season. Seventeen consecutive Kansas City batters were retired between Adam Frazier’s third-inning single and pinch-hitter Nelson Velázquez’s one-out single in the ninth.
Wacha gave up three hits and one walk in five innings. It was his first start since May 31, when his left foot was fractured by a comebacker on his fourth pitch against San Diego.
Texas Rangers' Marcus Semien scores as Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin loses the ball during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
“What a competitor,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the 32-year-old, who pitched at Texas A&M. “I mean, he’s pitching on a hurt foot, battling back this whole time without it really being a hundred percent. To come out here and pitch that good against that team is really impressive.”
Texas Rangers' Adolis Garcia (53) celebrates the home run by Josh Smith, right, in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: 3B Josh Jung (fractured right wrist) will accompany the team on next week’s trip and could be ready to play by midweek.
UP NEXT
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is to make his season debut in Sunday’s series finale. Scherzer, 39, hasn’t pitched for the Rangers since Game 3 of the World Series last fall. RHP Alec Marsh (5-4, 4.37 ERA) starts for the Royals, who will try to avoid being swept for the first time this season, after allowing a career-high seven runs in three innings in a loss at Oakland on Tuesday.
Kansas City Royals center fielder Garrett Hampson catches a fly ball hit by Texas Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
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Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. catches a pop fly by Texas Rangers' Travis Jankowski during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
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The Associated Press