Inside The Rangers

Jon Gray Keeps Rolling, Earns First Win As Texas Rangers Take Series Opener Against Washington Nationals

Texas Rangers right-hander Jon Gray has been dealing for the past month, including Tuesday when he held the Washington Nationals to a run on three hits over eight innings.

Stefan Stevenson

Apr 30, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jon Gray (22) throws during the first
Apr 30, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jon Gray (22) throws during the first / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
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ARLINGTON — Jon Gray is rolling.

The Texas Rangers right-hander held the Washington Nationals to a run on three hits over eight innings in a 7-1 win in the series opener Tuesday night at Globe Life Field.

It's Gray's first win of the season after putting together a string of outstanding appearances since his season-opening start on March 31.

Gray (1-1) has held opponents to four earned runs in his past 29 innings, which includes five starts and one relief appearance.

Despite Gray's performance, the Rangers found themselves trailing for the fifth time in the past seven games after the Nationals scored a run in the top of the first. CJ Abrams reached on an infield single, stole second, and scored on Luis Garcia Jr.'s single.

Gray regrouped, however, and retired the next 12 batters. The string was snapped with Trey Lipscomb's infield single in the fifth. Gray retired the next 10 batters. He struck out three and walked none.

Jonah Heim's RBI single scored Nathaniel Lowe to tie it at 1-1 in the fourth, and the Rangers took a 2-1 lead after Marcus Semien hit a one-out stand-up triple off the wall in right-center field and scored on Corey Seager's tapper in front of home plate. Josh Smith's solo homer in the sixth stretched Texas' lead to 3-1, and Semien doubled and scored again on Nathaniel Lowe's RBI single to make it 4-1 in the seventh. The Rangers added three more runs in the eighth, including a two-run homer from Leody Taveras.

Cole Winn pitched a perfect ninth to close it out.

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Stefan Stevenson

STEFAN STEVENSON

Stefan Stevenson worked as a journalist and editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 25 years, covering sports, concerts, and general news. His beats have included the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and Texas Christian University football.