Who was the star of Texas Rangers’ 13-hit, slump-busting win over Tampa Bay Rays?
Here are the candidates for Texas Rangers star of the game, as selected by Star-Telegram reporter Stefan Stevenson, from their 8-3 win Tuesday over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 13-hit performance. It’s the third time Texas has collected 10 or more hits this season and most since combining for 15 in the season opener against the Royals.
Kyle Gibson: Texas needed a stopper performance from its pitching staff and the Rangers’ No. 1 starter gave them just that. Gibson held the Rays to one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out three over seven innings. He retired the last seven batters he faced.
Nick Solak: The second baseman’s three-run double to left field gave the Rangers a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning. He added a single to start the eighth. He was one of five Rangers with two or more hits in the game (also Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Jose Trevino, Joey Gallo, and Charlie Culberson).
Charlie Culberson: He led all Rangers with three hits, including a two-run, insurance-providing home run in the eighth inning that stretched Texas’ lead to 8-2. Culberson was 3 for 4 with three RBIs, including an RBI double in the fourth. Culberson entered the game 2 for 12 this season.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: The leadoff hitter singled to start the game, moved to second on a balk and scored on Joey Gallo’s RBI single to give Gibson a 1-0 lead. He later added an RBI single in the sixth to score Eli White and stretch Texas’ lead to 6-2.
This story was originally published April 13, 2021 at 8:54 PM.
