Matt Kemp got his first hit as a Colorado Rockie and drove in a run, David Dahl had a single and an RBI, and the Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.
Daniel Bard (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings in his first game in more than seven years and Wade Davis got the final three outs for the save.
Shin-Soo Choo and Joey Gallo had RBI singles and Mike Minor (0-1) allowed two runs – one earned – and struck out six in five innings for Texas.
The Rockies were shut out Friday night and didn’t score in the first three innings Saturday before breaking through in the fourth. With one out Nolan Arenado walked and went to third when second baseman Rougned Odor misplayed Charlie Blackmon’s grounder.
Kemp, signed as a free agent in the offseason, followed with a bloop single to right that scored Arenado, and Blackmon went to third. Ryan McMahon hit a comebacker to Minor, but his throw home was off and Blackmon scored to make it 2-0.
The Rangers got one back in the fifth and chased starter Jon Gray. With two outs Ronald Guzman singled, Jeff Mathis walked and Choo singled off McMahon’s glove at first to drive in Guzman from second.
Bard relieved Gray, who allowed one run on three hits and struck out three in 4 2-3 innings.
The Rockies added to their lead against reliever Luke Farrell in the seventh. Garrett Hampson led off with a ground-rule double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Dahl lined a single to left to make it 3-1.
Texas threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out against reliever Carlos Estevez but Danny Santana struck out and Gallo flew out to end the frame.
The Rangers had runners on second and third with no outs in the eighth but Jairo Diaz struck out the next two batters and ended the inning with a fly out to center.
Gallo’s infield hit in the ninth scored Elvis Andrus from third but Davis struck out Odor to end the game.
–Field Level Media
