Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched well enough in a spot start, even if the final line doesn’t necessarily reflect it. Things got off to a bad start in the first inning, when a single with a runner on base was mis-played by Delino DeShields, and rather than runners on the corners and no runs in, the Royals ended up with everyone scoring, putting Texas in a 2-0 hole due to unearned runs from the get-go.
Bibens-Dirkx allowed two more runs in the fifth, on a bases loaded Salvador Perez single, and seemed to be done after six innings. However, in an effort to squeeze another inning out of Bibens-Dirkx in a game where Texas was already down four, obviously wanting to preserve the pen, Jeff Banister sent Bibens-Dirkx out for the seventh. He got only one out and allowed two baserunners before giving way to Matt Bush, who hit a batter and then allowed Salvador Perez to pick up another two RBI bases loaded single to make it 6-0. Bush allowed two more runs in the 8th, as well, before pitching a scoreless ninth.
Offensively, it was a lousy game. Danny Duffy pretty well shut the Rangers down until the eighth inning, when it didn’t matter. Two guys with thrown out trying to steal. Texas had a whopping five hits.
If you want a few notes of positivity, Isiah Kiner-Falefa made a really nice play charging a ball, barehanding it and throwing a runner out at first. Joey Gallo had a double, which is nice, because he’s been in a bad slump. Rougned Odor didn’t strike out, drove home Gallo with a single, and also had a really hard hit ground out that was fielded in shallow right field, and given how badly he has been going, that’s good to see. Delino, IKF and Shin-Soo Choo each had a hit and a walk, so that’s good.
But yeah, basically a bad game. We just have to hope they go pound some Budweiser and go get ‘em tomorrow.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59847463/962231624.jpg.0.jpg)