Gomez doing it defensively for Rangers, waiting for hits to fall

Carlos Gomez hopes the hits start coming. Until then, he wants to help the Texas Rangers any way he can.

Two catches in left field Sunday helped preserve a 2-1 win. His leaping catch against the wall in the fifth inning robbed the Cleveland Indians of an extra-base hit, and he ran down a line drive over his head when he didn’t read it immediately off the bat in the sixth with two runners on.

“If you don’t hit it, you have to catch it. That’s how you win games,” Gomez said. “Nothing is more exciting than when your starting pitcher comes to you and says thank you. That makes you feel really good and special.”

Gomez credited center fielder Ian Desmond for helping him adjust to playing left field. Gomez hadn’t start there since his rookie season in 2007.

“I always pay attention to Desmond,” Gomez said. “We always want to be on the same page, moving to the left or to the right, and that makes my job a little easier. It lets my ability and instincts take over.”

Desmond dismissed the notion that he has helped Gomez defensively.

“He’s done a great job. The two plays [Sunday] probably saved us the game,” Desmond said. “His willingness to move, he’s a good center fielder. There’s pride in that for him, I’m sure. He’s been great since he’s been here.”

Gomez is 0 for 18 at the plate since homering in his first at-bat for the Rangers on Thursday. Manager Jeff Banister thinks Gomez is close to figuring it out.

“I don’t think he’s too far off at all. I believe he’s probably half a click in between right now,” Banister said. “He’s really close.”

Gomez flew out to left in his first at-bat Monday and struck out in an 11-pitch at-bat in the third. He fell behind 0-2 before taking a ball and then fouling off four consecutive pitches from Hisashi Iwakuma before taking Ball 3. He fouled off another pitch before missing on an 83 mph slider to end the inning.

“Right now, I’m not even trying to think about getting hits, but just having good at-bats and swinging at the pitch that I want,” Gomez said. “Sooner or later [the hits] are going to come. Who knows if the last two weeks in the season I get extremely hot in playoff time, when it really matters.”

And if he continues to provide stellar defense, the Rangers are fine with giving him time to find his swing.

“If he impacts two out of every four games, we’ll be all right,” Banister said of Gomez’s three-run homer in his Rangers’ debut and the defensive plays Sunday. “This guy can impact the game on both sides. The other part of it that our fans have not seen yet is he can impact with his legs too. He loves to run. Probably be the next phase he’ll show our fans.”

Nothing to see here

Closer Sam Dyson is fine, Banister said, a day after Dyson walked consecutive batters in the process of throwing nine consecutive balls and loaded the bases Sunday afternoon before preserving the Rangers’ win. Dyson declined to discuss Sunday’s outing.

Banister isn’t alarmed by Dyson’s struggle. In short, Banister said, the command issues most likely are the result of three days between outings.

“Sam’s all right. Sam’s fine,” Banister said. “I’m not going to overanalyze or underanalyze. I know what it is. He had a couple walks, gave up a base hit and then he got three outs.”

Bottom line, Banister said, Dyson got out of the mess and did his job.

“It’s the life and times of a closer,” Banister shrugged.

Dyson, Diekman go bowling

Jake Diekman and Dyson spent a few hours Sunday night bowling at Bowl and Barrel in Dallas with Rangers fan Amber McDonald, whose family won the raffle during June’s Do It For Durrett Foundation benefit, which raised $5,000.

“It’s something Jake and I have been looking forward to for quite a few weeks now,” Dyson said. “After a series win last night it was fun to get out there and bowl a little bit and have a little bit of fun.”

Dyson said he bowled two-handed after sending his first two balls into the gutter. The lefty Diekman was bowling right-handed.

“Jake is better. I was bowling with two hands, between the legs. It was my best way to hit most of the pins,” Dyson said. “I wanted the bumpers because the first two I threw in the gutter.”

Scheppers close

Right-hander Tanner Scheppers could soon be an option, Banister said. Scheppers is on a rehab assignment in the minors. He’s allowed a run on four hits and two walks in five innings (five appearances).

“He’s been throwing the ball well,” Banister said. “I don’t think it’s that far off.”

Banister said it’s no longer necessary to see Scheppers pitch on consecutive nights with rosters expanding Friday. The club will no longer be hamstrung in the bullpen with more arms available.

Banister said Scheppers’ velocity dipped a bit in his last start on Sunday. “He’s got good run on the fastball,” he said. “The breaking stuff has been serviceable. He’s been pitching OK.”

Briefly

▪ Colby Lewis’ rehab start for Double A Frisco on Monday in Midland was postponed because of rain. Lewis is likely to start Tuesday night in Frisco. He’s expected to go four innings or 65 pitches.

▪ Outfielder Drew Stubbs declined an assignment to Triple A Round Rock and was placed on irrevocable waivers.

This story was originally published August 29, 2016 at 9:07 PM with the headline "Gomez doing it defensively for Rangers, waiting for hits to fall."