Moreland, Gallo help spring offense to life
ARLINGTON -- Like flipping a switch, the Rangers' lineup went from a 20-inning scoreless drought to an all-out explosion.
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After scoring six runs during the seventh and eighth innings in Friday's win, the Rangers had 15 hits, seven for extra bases, in Saturday's 11-7 victory against the Twins.
"It was kind of tough," outfielder Delino DeShields said of the team's recent offensive struggles. "But we're a good team, we believe in ourselves. We came out today and yesterday and just showed that we're not going to fold."
The biggest moment in a day full of highlights was Mitch Moreland and Joey Gallo hitting back-to-back home runs with two outs in a fourth inning that broke the game open.
The three-run shot was Moreland's eighth homer of the year, but his day got off to a good start before the game began. He was credited with a two-RBI double in Friday's game after the official scorer reversed the original error call on Aaron Hicks misplaying Moreland's line dive to deep center.
Moreland had more good fortune in the third when he hit a ball to deep left field. Minnesota's Eduardo Escobar appeared to lose the ball in the sun, and it landed behind him for another Moreland double.
Gallo's shot was his third since being called up June 2. It was a no-doubter into the upper deck in right field.
Video: MIN@TEX: Gallo hits moonshot to pad lead in the 4th
"What he can do is pretty special," Moreland said. "He's strong and has great leverage. It seems like every time he hits one, you want to be there to watch it."
All nine starters had at least one hit Saturday -- this after the Rangers were one-hit Thursday and went a combined 1-for-16 through six innings Friday.
Even more impressive: The outburst came against Minnesota starter Mike Pelfrey, who entered the day with four straight starts of at least six innings and no more than one earned run.
"I feel like in baseball, when you play games where you don't get a lot of hits, don't score a lot of runs, the chances of you coming out the next day -- it's kind of like you almost have a chip on your shoulder to improve," said DeShields, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles.
Texas came into this series with eight straight games scoring four runs or fewer. But that team-wide slump appears to be over, and Saturday, it was over in a big way.