Robbie Grossman hit a two-run home run and the visiting Texas Rangers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Corey Seager added three hits to pass 1,000 for his career and had an RBI for Texas.
The Rangers (80-64) have won the first two games of the four-game series to move a half-game ahead of the Blue Jays (80-65) in the American League wild-card race. Texas currently holds the second wild card.
Davis Schneider hit a solo homer for Toronto.
Toronto left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu (3-3) allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts in six innings.
Texas right-hander Max Scherzer (13-6) left the game with right triceps spasms in the sixth. He allowed three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on their first two hits of the game. Seager singled to lead off the inning for the 1,000th hit of his career. Grossman followed with a shot to left for his ninth home run of the season.
Texas added a run in the sixth. Seager led off with a double to right center. He took third on Mitch Garver’s single to right and scored on Jonah Heim’s sacrifice fly.
Jose Leclerc replaced Scherzer in the sixth to get the final two outs of the frame.
Texas scored twice in the seventh. Toronto reliever Yimi Garcia allowed consecutive one-out doubles by Leody Taveras and pinch hitter Josh H. Smith.
Tim Mayza came in with two outs and allowed Seager’s RBI double.
Spencer Horwitz led off the Toronto seventh with a double against Leclerc and took third on a flyout. Brock Burke entered in relief and allowed Cavan Biggio’s RBI single. Biggio took third on pinch hitter Santiago Espinal’s double, and a run scored on pinch hitter Ernie Clement’s groundout. Chris Stratton replaced Burke and retired four straight batters.
Texas added another run in the ninth against Trevor Richards on three walks (one intentional to Seager) and Travis Jankowski’s RBI single.
Aroldis Chapman allowed Schneider’s eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the ninth.
–Field Level Media
