Rangers Bats Set Tone Early In 7-4 Victory Over A's

Yonny Hernandez and Isiah Kiner-Falefa were a dynamic duo atop the Rangers lineup, and DJ Peters added two homers to defeat the Oakland A's, 7-4.

Author:
Chris Halicke
Aug 15, 2021 6:31 PM EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas — Chris Woodward has been thinking about swapping Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Yonny Hernandez as the top two hitters in the Texas Rangers lineup. For Sunday afternoon's rubber match the with Oakland Athletics, the Rangers skipper decided to pull the trigger.

"Yonny is starting to hit," Woodward said. "This kid's gonna get on base. [Kiner-Falefa] has always hit better in the two-hole, numbers-wise. So it takes a little heat off of him and gives him a good opportunity if Yonny's on base. He's obviously a threat. There's a good chance he's running if he gets the opportunity. Kiner can hit behind him and shoot the ball into that four-hole.

"I think it's a better spot for both guys. I just wanted to make sure Yonny was comfortable. I didn't want to put him in that spot and kind of overwhelm him right away in his big league career. But the way he's handling his at-bats, it leads me to believe that he'll be fine."

Consider it a shrewd move, because it quickly paid dividends.

The Rangers defeated the A's on Sunday by a score of 7-4, and the duo of Hernandez and Kiner-Falefa set the tone immediately. After Rangers starter Kolby Allard pitched a scoreless first inning, Hernandez worked a seven-pitch walk to lead off the Rangers half of the frame. Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a line drive into the gap in right-center field, and Hernandez motored around the bases, scoring from first base.

"I'm not taking any credit for that," Woodward smiled. "These guys have put in the work. At the top, they just compliment each other."

While Hernandez and Kiner-Falefa were a productive pair at the top, DJ Peters stole the show with a pair of two-run home runs. His first homer was blasted 460 feet, clearing the visitor's bullpen in left-center field. His second homer was a shot to the opposite field.

With Peters, the power and athleticism is there. But his preparedness, attention to detail and overall coachability make him an intriguing piece moving forward.

"I just love the way his mind works," Woodward said. "He's always working. He's always trying to gain an edge. He does his homework. He's probably one of our most prepared players. And he knows the value in that."

Whether he strikes out or hits a home run, Woodward says Peters comes back to the dugout saying he stuck with his game plan. It's a difficult ask for a lot of younger players, as has been witnessed throughout the entire Rangers season. Younger players are out to prove they belong and too often get caught up in trying to do too much.

Woodward and his coaching staff have focused much of their attention on teaching their players to stick with their process. It's helped Kiner-Falefa get out of a midseason funk, and now DJ Peters is reaping the benefits from it as well.

"That's really all we can ask out of our players," Woodward said. "It's really nice to see a younger guy who is trying to establish himself sticking to the process."

On the mound, Kolby Allard turned 6 1/3 solid innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts. It was Allard's third consecutive quality start without issuing a walk, tying Colby Lewis' franchise record.

"I feel good," Allard said. "I try to not get too high or too low throughout the season. Obviously, you're gonna take your bumps and have your good stretches. But it's definitely been good to get on a little roll. When we get attacking from the get-go, it seems to be a lot better."

The Rangers (42-76) are off on Monday. They will wrap up their homestand with a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners (63-55), beginning on Tuesday. The Rangers are scheduled to start Spencer Howard (0-3, 5.61 ERA), squaring off with Seattle left-hander Tyler Anderson (5-8, 4.24 ERA).