Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker allowed seven earned runs in 3.1 Innings as the Rangers fell 11-2 to the Minnesota Twins.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Entering play on Tuesday night, Kumar Rocker had been lights out for the Texas Rangers of late.
In his last six outings, Rocker posted an ERA of just 2.16 and, more importantly, the Rangers won five of those six.
Unfortunately, Rocker’s recent success did not continue as he allowed seven earned runs in just 3.1 innings in a 12-2 Rangers loss to the Minnesota Twins in the second game of a three-game series at Globe Life Field.
"I think I got beat a lot of times on a pitch that wasn't the best one that I had for that moment" Rocker said after the game. "I think it was just a poorly pitched game overall, I gave the team no shot to fight back at all and just overall a frustrating and poorly pitched game."
Things went the opposite of the way Rocker and the Rangers wanted right from the jump as Twins' leadoff hitter Trevor Larnach took the second pitch of the game and drove it over the right-field wall.
Larnach’s home run marked the 10th time Texas has given up a home run to the first batter of the game this season. Josh Bell would connect on an RBI single later in the inning to make it 2-0 Twins.
After a clean second inning, things got bad for Rocker and the Rangers in the third and fourth. With two runners on in the third, Twins right fielder Kody Clemens smoked a line drive, three-run home run to make it 5-0 Minnesota.
In the fourth, it was Royce Lewis who came through for the Twins, lacing a two-run single up the middle to make it 7-0 and end Rocker’s night.
Cal Quantrill came on for the Rangers but allowed a two-run double to Bell and an RBI single to Luke Keaschall, and the Twins' lead swelled to 10-0.
With the game out of hand, Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka would come on to pitch the ninth and allow the Twins' final two runs of the night.
The Rangers' offense did manage a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth as Ezequiel Duran legged out what would have been a double play ball, and Elias Diaz slashed an RBI single, but nothing else would materialize for Texas.
With the loss, the Rangers fall to 35-38 on the season and have now lost their second consecutive series.
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