Wyatt Langford’s two-run home run in the sixth backed the solid pitching of Tyler Mahle and the Texas bullpen as the Rangers held on for a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday in the opener of the three-game interleague series in Arlington, Texas.
The game was the first for Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer, who was promoted from third base coach after the firing of Bud Black on Sunday. The Rockies have now lost nine of their past 10 games.
Colorado outhit the Rangers 6-3, with Hunter Goodman collecting two of those hits for the Rockies in a losing cause.
Tyler Mahle (4-1) pitched 6 1/3 innings for Texas, allowing a run on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He was followed to the mound by four relievers, with Jacob Webb getting the final three outs for his first save of the year.
Texas has won three straight games to climb to 21-21 on the season.
The Rockies jumped in front off Mahle in the second when Nick Martini’s two-out single to right field drove home Goodman, who started the inning with a hit and advanced to second on a balk.
Texas didn’t have a hit — and had only two baserunners, both on walks — when Langford took Colorado starter Chase Dollander (2-4) over the center field fence for a two-run home run with one out in the sixth.
Dollander (2-4) went six innings and surrendered just two runs (on a home run) on one hit and three walks while striking out seven.
Colorado threatened to rally in the seventh as Goodman doubled to open the frame. Mahle was lifted after striking out Michael Toglia, and reliever Robert Garcia walked Kyle Farmer with two outs before fanning Adael Amador to snuff out the threat.
Ryan McMahon opened the ninth with a single off Rangers closer Luke Jackson that drove Jackson from the game. He was replaced by Webb, who coaxed Goodman into a groundout before Toglia singled to right field. Sean Bouchard then walked to load the bases.
But Webb got the double-play grounder he needed from Farmer and the Rangers escaped.
–Field Level Media
