Rangers recap: Nomar Mazara opens spring season in full swing

The spring season is finally up and running and the Texas Rangers are off to a good start. Colby Lewis and Nick Tepesch each threw two scoreless innings and two outfield hopefuls combined for five hits as the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 at Surprise Stadium.

Pitching: Colby Lewis threw two innings (38 pitches, 20 strikes), including a 25-pitch first inning in which he escaped a bases-loaded jam. The Royals’ Mike Moustakas doubled with one out before two walks. Lewis got Christian Colon to line out softly to Elvis Andrus to end the first. Tepesch pitched a scoreless third and fourth inning. Andrew Faulkner and Tony Barnette each threw a scoreless inning, allowing no hits and recording one strikeout apiece.

Alex Claudio and Phil Klein each allowed home runs against the first batters they faced.

Hitting: Nomar Mazara went 3 for 3 with a three-run homer in the ninth inning. He also singled in a run. Justin Ruggiano had two hits, including a double off the center-field wall. James Jones and Bobby Wilson also had two hits each. Hanser Alberto doubled and scored a run. Mitch Moreland had the lone Rangers’ walk.

Notable: Delino DeShields made a long running catch in right-center field. Andrus had to time a jump to catch a soft liner to help Lewis escape a bases-loaded jam in the first. Including the intrasquad game, Mazara is 6 for 6 this spring. Mazara’s homer came against former Rangers pitcher Ross Ohlendorf.

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Rangers recap: Nomar Mazara opens spring season in full swing."