Adolis Garcia drove in the go-ahead run and later belted a two-run home run, Nathaniel Lowe homered as part of a 4-for-4 night, and the Texas Rangers scored 12 unanswered runs to rally for a 12-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday in Arlington, Texas.
The Rangers finished with four home runs on the night as Corey Seager and Jonah Heim also went deep. Early on, though, it seemed like it would be the Guardians’ night.
Cleveland jumped out to 4-0 lead on two two-run home runs by the Naylor brothers in the third inning. Bo Naylor unloaded on a changeup from Rangers starter Jon Gray, depositing it into the right field seats. Then four batters later, older brother Josh sent a slider that hooked down the right field line and narrowly cleared the fence.
The Naylors became the first brothers to hit home runs in the same inning for the same team since B.J. and Justin Upton did it for the Braves on April 23, 2013 — the second time in 18 days they accomplished the feat. Only one other set of brothers have homered in the same inning in the last 61 years — Billy and Cal Ripken, who also did it twice.
Despite the history, however, the Rangers spoiled the Naylors’ night.
Texas chipped away with two runs in the fourth inning, including a solo shot by Lowe leading off the inning. Heim’s RBI single pulled the Rangers to within 4-3, and the club took control with a five-run seventh.
Garcia produced the go-ahead hit with a single to left and the Rangers cushioned the lead with a two-run double by Heim and an RBI single by Leody Taveras. Texas ran away with the game by adding four more runs in the eighth, courtesy of three home runs — by Seager, Garcia and Heim.
Gray allowed four runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts over six innings. Rangers reliever Brock Burke (3-2) earned the win, throwing a scoreless seventh inning.
Cleveland starter Aaron Civale allowed two runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts over five innings. Guardians reliever Sam Hentges (1-1) took the loss as he allowed the first three batters to reach in the seventh inning before exiting without recording an out. All three of the runners scored.
–Field Level Media
