The Texas Rangers kept rolling in Chicago on Monday night, and the White Sox had no answer.
Corey Seager led the charge with three hits and three RBI, while Jake Burger and Wyatt Langford each went deep as the Rangers powered past the White Sox 11-2 at Rate Field in the opener of a three-game series between clubs chasing division titles.
The win moved Texas into sole possession of first place in the AL West, a half-game ahead of the idle Houston Astros, and it was the Rangers’ first time sitting alone atop the division since July 30. Chicago, meanwhile, saw its lead in the AL Central trim to 2 1/2 games over the Cleveland Guardians, who also won Monday night.
Texas got going right away. Joc Pederson worked a walk to open the game, scored on Ezequiel Duran’s groundout, and Evan Carter followed with a two-out RBI double to make it 2-0. The Rangers added another in the second when Duran punched an infield hit through with the bases loaded.
Chicago had a chance to flip the momentum in the bottom of the first when Brandon Nimmo robbed Andrew Benintendi of a two-run homer, preserving the early cushion.
The White Sox did answer in the second. Tristan Peters, who homered for a third straight game and for the 10th time this season, launched a two-out shot off Kumar Rocker to cut the deficit to 3-2. But Seager shut that down quickly, lining a two-out double in the third that brought home two more and stretched the lead to 5-2.
Pederson’s night ended before that inning was over. He was ejected by home plate umpire Chris Guccione for comments from the dugout after striking out looking to start the second and being too late on his challenge attempt. He had been in an 0-for-24 slump.
Burger, who started his big league career with the White Sox, hit his 22nd homer to lead off the fifth. Later in the inning, Justin Foscue, who entered for Pederson, and Seager ripped back-to-back two-out doubles to make it 7-2.
The Rangers kept piling on from there. Burger added an RBI double in the sixth, Duran scored on a wild pitch in the eighth, and Langford capped the night with a two-run homer off Trevor Richards in the ninth for his 15th of the season.
Rocker earned the win, improving to 5-10 after going 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. Robby Ahlstrom retired all four batters he faced, and Jordan Montgomery finished the game with two perfect innings.
José Urquidy took the loss for Chicago after allowing five runs and six hits with four walks over three innings. He had just thrown six shutout innings in relief with eight strikeouts in a 3-0 Crosstown Classic win last Wednesday.
Tuesday’s matchup sends Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom, 9-8 with a 3.77 ERA, against White Sox left-hander Anthony Kay, 9-6 with a 3.96 ERA.
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