Marcus Semien’s Late Homer Saves Texas Rangers Against Tampa Bay Rays
ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers were looking at another stomach-churning loss.
After holding a two-run lead into the seventh, the Tampa Bay Rays erased it instantly on Yandy Diaz’s three-run home run against reliever Jacob Latz.
The Rangers, who entered the game 2-33 in games when trailing after six innings, rallied for a 4-3 win when Marcus Semien answered with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh Saturday afternoon at Globe Life Field.
Andrew Heaney threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out seven while allowing three hits and walking two. It was his first scoreless outing since holding the Marlins scoreless in six innings on June 2 in Miami.
The Rangers scored runs in the second and third innings to build a 2-0 lead. Jonah Heim led off the second with a double and scored on Andrew Knizner’s single in the second. Marcus Semien walked to lead off the third and scored on Nathaniel Lowe’s single.
Three thoughts from Saturday’s game:
Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney had seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings on Saturday, including the 1,000 of his career. Heaney got Amed Rosario swinging on a 1-2 slider to end the third inning for the milestone. He’s the 555th pitcher all-time to reach at least 1,000 strikeouts.
Adolis García had his season-high 15-game on-base streak snapped after going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts on Saturday. García is batting .236 with three homers and four RBI in his past 15 games, in which he has reached by a hit or walk. It’s the third-longest streak of his career. He had a 25-game streak in 2022 and a 20-game streak in 2023.
3. Up Next
Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (5-3, 3.15) face right-hander Zack Littell (3-5, 3.94) in the series finale at 1:35 p.m. Sunday.
