23-25 – Successful first inning propels Rangers to blowout win

DENVER, CO - MAY 19: Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Texas Rangers scored a girthy ten runs while the Colorado Rockies scored no runs at all. This one’ll do wonders for the ol’ Pythagorean W-L.

Maybe last night’s loss was the kick in the butt moment the Rangers needed as they came out tonight and immediately scored a couple of runs before turning to a opener to help ease Kumar Rocker into one of his best outings as a big leaguer. The first inning has been among the biggest trouble areas for Texas this season as they have given up a lion’s share of their runs allowed in the first frame while not scoring much of their own in the game’s first inning. That has put the Rangers in a hole in an exorbitant number of contests, which has only hindered a lineup that has clearly been pressing.

Tonight however, it felt like an upset that Texas scored only two runs in the first inning as Ezequiel Duran doubled in a pair before the Rangers left ‘em loaded. Meanwhile, in the bottom of the first, on Rocker’s usual day, manager Skip Schumaker decided to go with reliever Tyler Alexander for an inning with Rocker being among the biggest first inning-issues offender this season. The plan worked swimmingly as not only did Alexander enter with a lead and pitch a scoreless frame, by the time Rocker took the mound to start the second inning, the Rangers had scored three more runs to give Rocker a 5-0 lead to work with.

Big lead Rocker was a hit to put it mildly. The righty ended up going all but the final out with 7. 2 shutout innings while allowing just three hits and three of walks with seven strikeouts.