Semien's HR fuels 7 straight hits in 5-run frame

KANSAS CITY -- The Rangers came through with a textbook display of binge hitting in the sixth inning against the Royals on Tuesday night and it happened in a most unlikely way.

Locked in a tight one-run game, Texas had the lower part of its lineup coming up, and those four hitters at the bottom of the order had started the game with batting averages of .159, .150, .222 and .000, respectively. But suddenly and convincingly, the Rangers were spraying hits all over Kauffman Stadium.

Robbie Grossman, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller started the hit parade with singles, and backup catcher Sandy León got his first hit of the season with a two-run single to right off Carlos Hernandez. And the hitting barrage wouldn’t cease until the Rangers had collected seven consecutive hits before an out was recorded in a five-run inning that boosted Texas to a 12-2 series-clinching victory.

Before the robust rally began to fizzle, Marcus Semien smashed a three-run homer -- his third long ball in as many games. That was followed by Travis Jankowski's double and a single by Nathaniel Lowe. Only when Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel threw out Jankowski at the plate did Kansas City finally record an out.

“We had role players who made some major contributions,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s what has to happen during the season. You’re going to have guys who need rest. You are going to have injuries.”

With Corey Seager recovering from a left hamstring strain, Bochy went with Duran at shortstop on Tuesday, and he responded with two hits. León was behind the plate so that Jonah Heim would be rested as the Rangers will go for a three-game sweep in Wednesday afternoon’s matinee finale.

The big bat in the lineup lately has belonged to Semien, who has used the road trip through Houston and Kansas City to showcase his power.

“You’re seeing a good hitter who’s locked in,” Bochy said of Semien. “To hit the ball out of the park like he’s doing, that’s impressive.”

When the Rangers opened the sixth with seven consecutive hits, it marked the first time that has happened since the Yankees did it against the Rays on Sept. 10, 2022.

“It did get contagious and that’s baseball,” Bochy said. “ You could see the confidence.”

Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi had a good time watching his teammates rattle off hits in that telling sixth inning. Eovaldi was hit hard early, but he made the adjustments and wound up delivering six innings of two-run ball.

“It took me a little time to find my rhythm,” Eovaldi said. “The first couple of innings, they were barreling balls and I had to make the adjustments. Once I started pitching inside, I felt like I was able to get them off the approach they had on me.”

Grossman said he feels the talent on this Texas team is good enough to allow for periodic offensive eruptions like the Rangers put forth in the sixth.

“This is a good team,” Grossman said. “A couple of things happen and then, the next thing you know, you’ve put up a crooked number.”