The Rangers finally put together the kind of road trip finish they’ve been chasing for a while, taking the series from Arizona after a 7-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
Texas jumped on the board immediately. Corey Seager blasted a two-run home run just two batters into the game, and for a stretch it looked like the Rangers might be in for a clean, simple night. Instead, the game tightened up and settled into a 2-0 score until the fourth inning turned into one of those frustrating chances that had been haunting Texas all summer.
Josh Jung started the inning with a single, moved to second on a Brandon Nimmo single, and advanced to third on a two-out Ezequiel Duran single. But Elias Diaz struck out with the bases loaded, leaving the Rangers empty after a long rally.
Arizona answered right away. Gabriel Moreno hit a solo home run off Cal Quantrill in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to 2-1 and threatening to turn the night into another one of those games where Texas gets punished after failing to cash in.
Quantrill steadied things from there and kept the Diamondbacks from building on that momentum. The next inning, the Rangers finally found some extra aggression on the bases.
After an out, Justin Foscue reached on an error, then took third on a Seager single and beat the throw in a close play. That pressure opened the door for Jung, who followed with a single that Arizona left fielder Lars Nootbaar got nutmegged on, allowing two runs to score and sending Jung to second.
After another out, Nimmo singled in Jung to push the Rangers ahead 5-1. Texas added two more runs an inning later to stretch the lead even further.
Quantrill finished with his customary weekly quality start, while Tyler Alexander ran into trouble in the seventh and let Arizona claw back into it. Robert Garcia handled a scoreless inning, and Jacob Latz worked out of the ninth for the save.
The win gave Texas its first road series victory since the first day of July. There are only two weeks left. Let’s go gambling!
In Other News...
Rangers Get Key Reinforcements As A New Injury Concern Emerges
Carlos Correa is moving closer to a return, with a minor league rehab assignment expected to begin this week as he works back from ankle surgery. Houston is even weighing a lineup tweak that could put Correa at second base, a spot he has never played in the majors, as part of an effort to get the most out of a crowded group that also includes Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve.
For the Rangers, the bigger immediate note is on the health front, where Nathan Eovaldi and Josh Jung were both activated from the injured list, giving Texas a needed boost as it continues to sort through its roster. Around the division, the Athletics are dealing with their own concern after Gage Jump was slowed by a left shoulder impingement, another reminder that the injury shuffle in the AL West is far from settling down. [Read more 🡒]
Robert Garcia Is Suddenly Giving The Rangers Bullpen Real Hope
Robert Garcias return has quietly given the Rangers bullpen a needed lift at a time when every healthy arm matters. After missing four months with left shoulder inflammation, the reliever came back and helped close out a 6-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks with a scoreless inning, then followed it up by continuing to look like the same pitcher the staff hoped to get back.
In three appearances since being activated, Garcia has yet to allow a hit, a run or a walk, which is exactly the kind of immediate stability Texas was hoping for after his long layoff. The manager has already pointed to both Garcias work on the mound and the medical staffs role in getting him back, and the real question now is how quickly the Rangers can turn that encouraging start into a dependable late-inning option. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Need Wyatt Langford To Be More Than A Brief Spark
Wyatt Langfords season has already been shaped by stops and starts, and the Rangers have felt every bit of it. The third-year outfielder missed nearly two months because of a forearm injury and a hamstring strain, then returned to give Texas a much-needed lift with a strong run in June and July before the production cooled off in August and September.
For a club still chasing the AL West title, the appeal is obvious: when Langford is right, the lineup looks deeper and more dangerous. Skip Schumaker has been encouraged by the recent hits and home runs, but the bigger question for Texas is whether this is the start of a longer stretch of impact or just another brief spark in a season that has not yet settled into any rhythm. [Read more 🡒]