SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Texas Rangers starter Alexi Ogando said he learned a valuable lesson in his two-inning start Friday.
"I learned that you got to throw your first pitch for strikes and be aggressive and attack a lot more," Ogando said. "That’s what happened. I got behind in the count to a lot of batters I faced, and that’s something I’ll take to the next outing."
Ogando threw first-pitch strikes to just two of the nine batters he faced in the Rangers' 11-1 loss to the Royals at Surprise Stadium. It came one day after Yu Darvish threw first-pitch strikes to all eight batters he faced. Ogando wasn't able to follow suit and he gave up two runs (both earned) on four hits with a strikeout in his two innings. He threw 34 pitches and just 19 were strikes.
"It was my first outing and you learn," Ogando said. "But I’m healthy and that's what is most important, but I’m happy because I was able to learn."
Other notes:
* RHP Jose Contreras struggled with his command, giving up four runs on six hits with one strikeout in his lone inning of work. Contreras had some movement on his pitches, like the splitter, but couldn't find the plate consistently.
* RHP Matt West was one of the few Rangers pitchers to throw a scoreless frame. He threw 10 pitches with seven of them strikes, hit both sides of the plate and erased an error by shortstop Elvis Andrus with a double play ball off the bat of Jason Donald.
* 1B Prince Fielder made a nice, diving grab to his left to snag a hard-hit ball down the line off the bat of Eric Hosmer to end the fourth inning.
* INF Brent Lillibridge had an RBI single, hitting a two-strike fastball into center field to account for the only run.
* Alex Rios, who had been out with a toe issue, got three at-bats Friday and was 1-for-3.
* It was a good defensive day for shortstop Luis Sardinas, who showed off his range and throwing arm by making solid plays on soft grounders and retiring fast runners.
