The Rangers' win streak ends in a 6-1 loss to the Royals on June 18. Jack Leiter gets rocked while Salvador Perez's two homers lead the Kansas City offense.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
All good things must come to an end, and the Rangers' four-game winning streak came to a screeching halt on Wednesday. In a sobering 6-1 defeat to the Kansas City Royals, a tough night on the mound for rookie Jack Leiter was compounded by an offense that couldn't solve starter Seth Lugo, leaving Globe Life Field with more questions than answers.
The Rangers' offense struck out 14 times, tying their season high for a single game and highlighting a night of frustration at the plate.
Rookie Jack Leiter faced his toughest test of the season, and the Royals' veteran bats made him pay. Over 5 2/3 innings, Leiter was tagged for six earned runs on eight hits, both matching his season highs. The long ball was the primary issue, as he surrendered a pair of homers to Salvador Perez and another to hometown kid Bobby Witt Jr. While every young pitcher has nights like these, it was a clear step back after a series of promising starts, sending his ERA climbing and handing him the loss.
The story for Kansas City was written by its stars. Catcher Salvador Perez was a one-man wrecking crew, launching a two-run shot in the first inning and a solo blast in the sixth. His 18th career multi-homer game set a new Royals franchise record, breaking a tie with the legendary George Brett. Not to be outdone, Arlington's own Bobby Witt Jr. finally connected for his first career home run in his hometown ballpark, adding to the Rangers' woes. It was a powerful display that the Texas staff simply had no answer for.
While the pitching struggled, the offense offered little support. The lineup was completely neutralized by Royals starter Seth Lugo, who racked up nine strikeouts over six dominant innings. As a team, the Rangers whiffed 14 times, tying a season-high mark for futility. The lone bright spot came in the fourth inning when rookie Alejandro Osuna delivered a run-scoring hit for his first career RBI. While it was a great moment for the young outfielder, it was the only run Texas could muster on a frustrating night.
One loss doesn't define a season, but this one serves as a reminder of the league's daily grind. The key is how the team responds. Texas will have a chance to bounce back quickly and claim the series victory tomorrow, sending veteran lefty Patrick Corbin (4-5, 3.66 ERA) to the mound. He'll face another tough southpaw in the Royals' Kris Bubic (5-4, 1.92 ERA). Time to shake this one off and start a new streak.
