Texas Rangers Roundup Reds

There were no Lone Rangers riding in Friday night's game.

The Texas Rangers made the most of eight hits and a start by a member of the bullpen in a 7-1 win over the Reds.

Jesse Chavez was given a 50 pitch budget to start the game with Texas short one starting pitcher.  Rookie manager Chris Woodward and his staff are deciding if Drew Smyly or someone at the Triple A level should be brought up to start a game.

Chavez answered the call in convincing fashion.  He breezed through the Reds lineup for three innings on 47 pitches.  He allowed one baserunner, Joey Votto who singled in the first inning.  He retired the next eight in order.

Tyler Mahle went farther in the game than Chavez but was behind 2-0 when the Reds batted for the first time. Delino D DeShields, who has his paternal parent Delino A DeShields in a Reds' uniform, singled to start a strange, light hitting, two run rally.  Mahle hit Elvis Andrus with a pitch.  Catcher Curt Casali was charged with a passed ball that allowed the runners to move up a base.  Nomar Mazara grounded out to third as DeShields raced home.  Asdrubal Cabrera beat out an infield hit that put Andrus on third.  The Rangers sent Cabrera to second on a steal attempt.  Casali threw to Iglesias who returned the throw home to catch Andrus, who was called out by Jerry Meals at home.  A one minute video review proved otherwise and Andrus got credit for a steal of home.

Brett Martin pitched two scoreless innings for Texas.  Mahle held back the Rangers until the fifth.  Shin-Soo Choo doubled to open the inning.  DeShields walked.  Mahle retired Andrus in a pop up to Votto at first.  David Bell brought Wandy Peralta into the game. Peralta struck out Mazara. Cabreara walked to load the bases. Peralta got ahead of Rougned Odor at 1-2 but Odor hit his eighth home run of the season into the bleachers in right field.  It was Odor's fourth career grand slam.

Mahle was a malcontent after being pulled.

"It is getting ridiculous at this point," Mahle said.  "It's not a good first half by any means in my opinion but I think, I've gotten yanked out of some games when I'm have a good game or a decent game and haven't had the chance to battle through a game.  I haven't had a chance to battle through six innings. Like tonight, especially after last game when I get pulled with 77 pitches.  This game I knew I had 90 something but in my opinion, I deserved a chance to get out of the fifth or get through five or at least see where that next batter is.  I get a pop up and I'm one ground ball away and I get taken out of the game.  I just got to keep going."

In his last game at Philadelphia, Mahle had 73 pitches through five innings.  He had allowed three runs, two earned at that point.  He gave up an inning opening hit to J.T. Realmuto and Jay Bruce hit a home run.  The third run of the inning scored on a throwing error by Tucker Barnhart.  The Reds lost the game 4-2.  His longest outing this season is 6-1/3 innings.  Mahle has pitched at least six innings in six of his 12 starts.  Tonight was his shortest outing of the season.

"There were two hitters in a row where he threw almost 20 pitches," David Bell said.   In the third Mazara struck out on 10 pitches.  Cabrera grounded out on 11 pitches.  "In the end, he held them to two runs, in his work.  The pitch count got up too high to let him continue."

DeShields put the Rangers up by seven with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Nick Senzel broke up the shutout with a home run in the eighth against Drew Smyly, his sixth.

Edited by ML Schirmer