ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wyatt Langford hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning after Jacob deGrom allowed a four-run lead to slip away and the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.
After the Rays trailed 4-0 after one inning, Jonathan Aranda hit a two-run homer as part of Tampa Bay’s three-run sixth that tied it at 4.
Aranda’s homer and Kameron Misner’s double knocked deGrom from the game. DeGrom allowed four runs and eight hits — including homers by Aranda and Brandon Lowe — in 5⅔ innings.
Texas scored four times in the first against Rays starter Taj Bradley. Marcus Semien hit a leadoff homer and Jake Burger had a three-run shot with two outs after Langford and Adolis Garcia walked.
Bradley regrouped and held the Rangers hitless over the next four innings. He allowed four runs and two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in five innings.
Robert Garcia (1-0), the Rangers’ third pitcher, got one out to earn the win. Luke Jackson pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Mason Montgomery (0-1) gave up Langford’s homer and took the loss.
Key moment
Although Langford’s two-run homer gave Texas the lead, Kevin Pillar led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Danny Jansen ahead of the homer.
Key stat
DeGrom allowed multiple homers in a game for the first time since Sept. 30, 2022, when the Braves hit three against him when he was with the Mets.
Up next
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen faces Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker in the series finale at 1:35 p.m. Sunday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
The Associated Press
