Royals Defeat Rangers 7-2 in Alternate Training Site Exhibition Bout

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Kansas City Royals rode a strong start by LHP Daniel Lynch to a 7-2 victory over the Texas Rangers to begin a two-game Alternate Training Site exhibition series on Friday afternoon at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

<a href="https://img.mlbstatic.com/milb-images/image/upload/milb/cfiqhiol9h9pcv0pjb9p.pdf" target="blank" >Unofficial statistics from today's game can be viewed by clicking here._

Lynch earned the win after holding Texas to a run on one hit while walking four and striking out five in 5.1 innings. For the Rangers, starter RHP Drew Anderson suffered the loss after allowing six runs, only five of which were earned, on five hits in 3.0 innings of work. The righty walked two and struck out three.

Kansas City opened the scoring early, plating a pair of runs in each of the first three innings. CF Edward Olivares led off the game with a single before scoring on an Emmanuel Rivera double. SS Bobby Witt, Jr. then sent Rivera home with a single. In the second, Royals C Sebastian Rivero jumped aboard via a Rangers fielding error prior to a two-run homer off the bat of DH Gabriel Cancel.

An inning later, Rivera worked a walk then Witt was hit by a pitch. An ensuing Anderson Miller walk loaded the bases for Rivero, who singled home a pair of runs. Kansas City extended the lead to 7-0 in the fourth as Olivares singled before walks by 2B Lucius Fox and Rivera. Witt then poked a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Olivares to sprint home from third.

The Rangers got on the board in the sixth C Matt Whatley worked a leadoff walk before an RBI double off the bat of 2B Yonny Hernandez, the team’s first hit of the afternoon. RF Elier Hernandez led off the seventh inning with a double, then 3B Frainyer Chavez drove him home with an RBI single.

The Rangers bullpen posted another strong outing as RHP Spencer Patton, RHP Joe Barlow and RHP Nick Vincent combined to hold the Royals scoreless on just one hit and two walks while punching out three in 4.1 frames.

The Rangers and Royals cap off the Globe Life Field portion of their Alternate Training Site exhibition series on Saturday afternoon. Texas LHP Wes Benjamin is scheduled to start against Kansas City RHP Jackson Kowar. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. The two teams then head south to Dell Diamond for a three-game series from April 26-28.

The Express kick off the 2021 season on Thursday, May 6 against the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season membership plans are on sale now. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!