Moore struggles, comeback falls short vs. Jays

ARLINGTON -- Lefty Matt Moore knows he's not making a rousing first impression with Rangers, having lasted just four innings and 3 1/3 innings, respectively, over two starts, including Friday night's 8-5 loss to the Blue Jays.
"I'm trying to be as positive as I can -- it's the second start, hopefully [I'll make] 33, 34," said Moore, who allowed six runs (five earned) while walking four Friday. "I'm trying not to be too hard on myself and just go back to the things that in between starts we can reiterate, and make sure that on the fifth day [they're] a little bit easier to repeat."
Moore took the mound 36 minutes late after storms passed through North Texas, and he got two quick outs before walking the third and fourth hitters and hitting the fifth. He managed to get a flyout to avoid any damage and cruised through a perfect second inning. In the third inning, his mistakes finally cost him as he gave up three runs. He was pulled after the fourth batter of the fourth inning.
"He couldn't seem to get his delivery consistent for himself," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "Early on, he seemed to be sharp, first two hitters. And then things kind of got away from him … a little bit challenged getting the ball back in the strike zone consistently against an aggressive group of hitters."

In the third, Moore allowed back-to-back, one-out singles and a walk to set up Russell Martin's RBI single, which also brought home another run on a fielding error by center fielder Drew Robinson.
After surrendering a double, a walk and a single on consecutive batters with one out in the fourth, Moore was relieved by Jesse Chavez, who walked two more batters and gave up a single to put the Rangers down, 6-0, after four innings.
Moore said he had "better feel, especially for the changeup" than in his Rangers debut in the first homestand of the season, when he allowed four earned runs on seven hits in four innings. But the results were similar.
"I see the similarities in not being able to finish a guy with two strikes, I had plenty of opportunities to shut the inning down," Moore said. "I didn't feel like it in the moment, but it's clear that something was changing between 0-0 and 1-2, 0-2 stuff. Probably a little bit of trying to make something better than it needs to be. … There's too many good pitches with two strikes getting hit."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rangers rally but fall short: The Rangers battled back for four runs off the Blue Jays' bullpen after Estrada finished the sixth inning. In the seventh, the Rangers collected five hits, including three RBI doubles from Shin-Soo Choo, Elvis Andrus and Adrián Beltré. Texas threatened again in the eighth when Odor reached on a one-out single, but pinch-hitter Jurickson Profar lined out to right field as Odor was running on a 3-2 pitch. The Rangers were trying to avoid grounding into a double play and instead lined into one.
"Profar did his job, he hit the ball well, and they made a play … it was an aggressive move to try to stay out of a double play," Banister said.

Back-to-back homers seal deal: Solarte and Martin cinched the win with back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning. Leading 6-0, Solarte homered first with two outs and no one on base. Martin followed with his solo shot to run the score to 8-0. The Jays have now homered in seven of eight games to start the season and have hit 12 home runs total. More >

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Choo has gone deep in each of the past three games, the third such streak in his career. Coincidentally, he homered in three straight games at this exact same time five years ago, from April 4-6, 2013. He also did it from June 29 to July 1, 2015.

BELTRE PASSES RICKEY
With an infield single to second base in the second inning, Beltre collected his 3,056th career hit, moving him past Rickey Henderson into sole possession of 23rd on the all-time hit list. Beltre had two more hits to move to 3,058. Next up for Beltre, who turns 39 on Saturday, is Craig Biggio with 3,060 hits.

WHAT'S NEXT
Lefty Mike Minor will make his second start, facing the Blue Jays at 7:05 p.m. CT on Saturday, after he took the loss in his Rangers debut against the Astros in Arlington. Minor allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks, striking out five, but was unable to make it out of the fifth inning. Minor is 2-0 in three career starts against the Blue Jays with a 1.93 ERA (3 ER/14 IP).
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