Seager sets the tone in the first
Corey Seager hit the second pitch he liked over the pool deck in right-center at Chase Field, a two-run drive off Eduardo Rodriguez that put Texas ahead before Arizona had batted. It was his 18th homer of the season and his fourth in seven games. He finished with three runs batted in.
Cal Quantrill handled the rest of the early work. He gave up four hits and two runs across six-plus innings, surviving a Gabriel Moreno solo shot in the fourth, and left with the game under control at 7-1.
Arizona handed Texas the fifth inning. Justin Foscue reached when Nolan Arenado misplayed a ball that kicked off his glove at third. Josh Jung singled in a run, then Lars Nootbaar let the ball get away from him in left and a second runner scored. Brandon Nimmo dropped a bloop single into the outfield for a 5-1 lead.
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The ninth inning nearly undid all of it
Danny Jansen doubled home a run in the sixth and Seager singled in another. Rodriguez left having allowed six runs, three of them earned, on eight hits with seven strikeouts in five and a third.
Arenado answered with a three-run homer in the seventh. Then Jacob Latz walked into the ninth holding a three-run lead and gave up back-to-back doubles to Arenado and Tim Tawa. James McCann grounded out. Jordan Lawlar drove a ball off the wall in left-center to make it 7-6 with the tying run in scoring position.
Tommy Troy struck out. Ketel Marte was intentionally walked. Moreno popped out to Seager at shortstop to end it. Latz has now converted 29 of 32 save chances this season and 24 of his last 25.
A road trip that finally paid
Texas had lost eight consecutive road series before taking the last two games in the desert. That drought had run two months and it explains why a one-run win over a team above them in the standings mattered as much as it did.
The Rangers sit 74-76 and stay two games behind Cleveland for the final American League wild card. Arizona fall to 79-71. Texas open at Boston on Tuesday.
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