Rocker, Rangers Roll Past Pirates 5-1

TL;DR

The Texas Rangers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1, with Kumar Rocker earning his first win of the season after pitching six innings and allowing only four hits.

Key points

Texas Rangers won 5-1 against Pittsburgh Pirates
Kumar Rocker pitched six innings for the Rangers
Rocker allowed only four hits and one run
Evan Carter made an impressive play in the outfield

Texas RangersPittsburgh PiratesKumar RockerEvan Carter

The Texas Rangers wanted to get off to a great start on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. That was done as Rangers starter Kumar Rocker went six innings en route to Texas stopping the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1.

Rocker picked up his first win this season, giving up just a first-inning run while only allowing the Pirates' offense four hits.

But Evan Carter deserves a tip of the hat for an incredible play in the outfield.

Carter went back on a drive from Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz. If the ball had cleared the wall, then the Pirates were going to take the lead. Carter, though, drifted back to the wall in left-center field and reached up to take away a home run from Cruz.

That play in the fifth inning gave Rocker some good fortune. He hasn't had much of that at times, so Carter might be getting a free dinner from Rocker down the road.

Let's take a look at how the Rangers put their runs on the board.

Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski worked 4 1/3 innings and got roughed up by the Texas lineup. He gave up six hits, five runs (all earned), walked two, and struck out six. Mlodzinski's record fell to 1-1.

But first, the Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn singled to center and brought home Cruz for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead in the first inning.

In the bottom of the second inning, with none out, hit his eighth double this season and moved to third base. Carter followed with a single to right field, scoring Pederson and tying the game at 1-1.