The Texas Rangers managed just four hits on Saturday, but they made the most of them as they earned a 3-2 road win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Kumar Rocker (3-4) gave up all five Pirates hits as he teamed with three relivers to give Pittsburgh its sixth loss in its last seven games. The two-time first-round draft pick threw 5 1/3 innings giving up two runs, five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Pirates starter Mitch Keller saw his hard luck season continue. He allowed just a hit, a walk and an unearned run through his first five innings before the Rangers scored twice on him in the sixth.
Keller (1-10), whose only win this season came in his first start on March 28, went 5-2/3 innings allowing two earned runs. The right-hander struck out five, gave up three hits and walked two. Both walks scored.
Keller walked Ezequiel Duran to start the third. One out later, Kyle Higashioka lined a base hit to left field that Adam Frazier allowed to get past him and roll to the wall. The error allowed Duran to score and Higashioka to advance to second.
Pittsburgh leveled the score in the fifth with small ball. Henry Davis and Ke’Bryan Hayes led off with consecutive singles, moving to second and third on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s sacrifice bunt. Oneil Cruz then scored Davis on a sacrifice fly to center.
The Rangers would reclaim the lead in their next at-bats. Josh Smith got a one-out single and moved to second on Sam Haggerty’s walk. Corey Seager’s single to right scored Smith, and Marcus Semien made it 3-1 when his sacrifice fly to center scored Haggerty.
The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in their half of the sixth. Rocker walked the final two batters he faced, and Shawn Armstrong hit Frazier on a 0-2 pitch. Though the Rangers reliever protected the lead. He got Davis to ground into a fielder’s choice scoring Spencer Horwitz and then Hayes popped out to Semien in the shallow outfield grass.
Pittsburgh would go down in order in each of the last three innings. Chris Martin struck out two in the ninth for his second save.
