Corey Seager hit a go-ahead two-run homer in his return from the injured list, leading the Texas Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
Kyle Higashioka also homered and Josh Jung had two hits for the Rangers, who have won six of their last seven games.
Travis Bazzana was 3-for-4 with a triple and home run and Steven Kwan had two hits and a run for the Guardians, who have dropped four of their last six games.
Peyton Gray (2-0) tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Jacob Latz earned his ninth save after working scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
In the sixth, Texas cut the Guardians’ lead to 2-1 on Higashioka’s 428-foot shot. With one out, Wyatt Langford doubled into the left field corner and scored on Seager’s opposite-field homer for a 3-2 lead.
Jung followed with a single and Brandon Nimmo flied out to right before Cleveland starter Parker Messick walked Ezequiel Duran to end his outing. Guardians reliever Matt Festa got Joc Pederson to roll out to first to end the inning.
Cleveland jumped out to a quick lead when Bazzana led off the game with his fourth home run of the season.
Rhys Hoskins walked to open the second, and after Daniel Schneemann lined out, Kwan singled to right. After Austin Hedges struck out looking, Kwan stole second and Cleveland had two runners in scoring position with two outs. But Texas starter Kumar Rocker induced Brayan Rocchio’s inning-ending groundout.
Bazzana’s line-drive single up the middle got the third underway, and he stole second when Jose Ramirez struck out on a full count. Bazzana was stranded when Chase DeLauter lined out and Kyle Manzardo popped out.
Kwan lined a two-out double to right-center in the fourth and scored on Hedges’ bloop single to center to put the Guardians up 2-0.
Messick (6-2) allowed three runs on five hits, walked one and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings. Rocker gave up two runs on six hits, walked one and fanned five in five innings.
–Field Level Media
