GAME UPDATES: Rangers, Rays Begin 3-Game Set
The Texas Rangers are back on the road for the weekend to take on the Tampa Bay Rays beginning Friday night at Tropicana Field.
The Rangers (62-81) are coming off a series split with Oakland at home. The Rangers took an 8-7 victory over the Athletics on Tuesday as Mark Mathias hit two home runs, including a walk-off to win the game. Right fielder Adolis García set a career high in a key offensive category. Third baseman Josh Jung did something no Rangers rookie has ever done in his first six games. And Marcus Semien brought the comedy by forgetting he was leading off an inning before hitting his third double of the game.
Wednesday’s game saw the Rangers jump out to a big lead only to lose another one-run game, 8-7, to the Athletics. Mathias homered again — and it was part of five straight at-bats with a run-scoring hit. Semien homered again. But it wasn’t enough to help the Rangers to the two-game sweep.
The Rangers are now 11-18 under interim manager Tony Beasley. Tonight’s game features a matchup with former Rangers pitcher Corey Kluber, a two-time Cy Young winner who pitched just one official inning with Texas in 2020 before suffering an injury that ended his season.
Scroll down to get ready for tonight’s game.
Texas Rangers (62-81) at Tampa Bay Rays (80-63)
Sept. 16, 2022, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla., 6:10 p.m. CT
Starting Pitchers
TEX: LHP Martín Pérez (11-6, 2.77)
Vs.
TB: RHP Corey Kluber (10-8, 4.36)
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Rangers Pre-Game Transactions:
None
Rangers Injury List:
OF Brad Miller (10-day, right hip strain), placed on Sept. 9. He is eligible to return on Sept. 19.
P Spencer Howard (15-day, right shoulder impingement), placed on Aug. 10 (retroactive to Aug. 8), eligible to return. He is on a rehab stint at Triple-A Round Rock. He last pitched on Sunday.
P Joe Barlow (15-day, right index finger blister), placed on Aug. 19 (retroactive to Aug. 18). Eligible to return. He has not pitched in an official game since going on the IL.
OF Eli White (60-day, right wrist fracture), placed on June 13. He is expected to be out for the rest of the season after experiencing left knee discomfort during his rehab stint at Round Rock.
C Mitch Garver (60-day, right forearm flexor tendon repair surgery), placed on July 11. He is not expected to return this season.
P Josh Sborz (15-day, right elbow sprain), placed on Aug. 30. Moved to 60-Day IL on Sept. 1. He is out for the season.
Follow the Game
TV
Rangers – Bally Sports Southwest
Rays — Bally Sports Sun
Rangers – 105.3 The Fan, KFLC 1270
Rays – WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM, WTMP
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Texas Rangers Starting Lineup
2B Marcus Semien
SS Corey Seager
1B Nathaniel Lowe
RF Adolis García
C Jonah Heim
3B Josh Jung
CF Leody Taveras
DH Josh Smith
LF Bubba Thompson
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Tampa Bay Rays Starting Lineup
DH Yandy Díaz
RF Manuel Margot
SS Wander Franco
LF Randy Arozarena
3B Isaac Paredes
1B Christian Bethancourt
2B Taylor Walls
C Francisco Mejía
CF Jose Siri
Top of First
TAMPA BAY PITCHER: RHP Corey Kluber (10-8, 4.36)
2B Marcus Semien – Singled on a ground ball to first baseman Christian Bethancourt
SS Corey Seager – Struck out looking; Semien caught stealing at second
1B Nathaniel Lowe – Struck out swinging
Rangers 0, Rays 0
Bottom of First
TEXAS PITCHER: LHP Martín Pérez (11-6, 2.77)
DH Yandy Díaz – Struck out swinging
RF Manuel Margot – Hit by pitch, advanced to first
SS Wander Franco – Lined out to Corey Seager at shortstop
LF Randy Arozarena – Grouned out to Seager; forced out Margot at second
Rangers 0, Rays 0
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Top of Second
RF Adolis García – Flied out to center fielder Jose Siri
C Jonah Heim – Grounded out to Bethancourt
3B Josh Jung – Struck out swinging
Rangers 0, Rays 0
Bottom of Second
3B Isaac Paredes - Walked
1B Christian Bethancourt – Singled to center field; Paredes to second
2B Taylor Walls – Fielder’s choice grounded out Marcus Semien at second base; flips to Seager at the bag; Bethancourt out. Walls safe at first; Paredes advances to third.
C Francisco Mejía – Singled to right field; Walls to third; Paredes scored. Rays 1, Rangers 0
CF Jose Siri – Fielder’s choice grounder to Seager at shortstop. Forces out Meija at second. Siri safe at first. Walls scores. Rays 2, Rangers 0
DH Yandy Díaz – Flied out to Taveras in center field
Rays 2, Rangers 0
Top of Third
CF Leody Taveras – Popped out to Paredes at third base
DH Josh Smith – Struck out swinging
LF Bubba Thompson – Broken-bat single; beat out throw from Rays second baseman Taylor Walls
2B Marcus Semien – Singled to left field; Thompson to second
SS Corey Seager – Double to left-center field gap; scores Thompson and Semien. Rangers 2, Rays 2
1B Nathaniel Lowe – Homered opposite field to left; Seager scored; Lowe scored. Rangers 4, Rays 2
RF Adolis García – Doubled to center field; ball bounced off Mejía
C Jonah Heim – Grounded out to Bethancourt at first base
Rangers 4, Rays 2
Bottom of Third
RF Manuel Margot – Singled to left field
SS Wander Franco – Popped out to Jung in foul territory on third base line; Margot remained at first
LF Randy Arozarena – Popped out to García on right-field line; Margot remained at first
3B Isaac Paredes – Singled; ball hit Jung’s glove and rolled into outfield. Ruled a hit. Margot to third
1B Christian Bethancourt – Flied out to García in right field. Rays strand two runners.
Rangers 4, Rays 2
Top of Fourth
3B Josh Jung – Singled to left field
CF Leody Taveras – Struck out looking
DH Josh Smith – Flew out to center field
LF Bubba Thompson – Flied out to center field
Rangers 4, Rays 2
Bottom of Fourth
2B Taylor Walls – Grounded out to Jung at third
C Francisco Mejía – Doubled to right field
CF Jose Siri – Struck out swinging
DH Yandy Díaz – Struck out looking
Rangers 4, Rays 2
Top of Fifth
2B Marcus Semien – Flied out to center field
SS Corey Seager – Grounded out to Paredes at third
1B Nathaniel Lowe – Popped out to Mejía in foul territory
Rangers 4, Rays 2
Bottom of Fifth
RF Manuel Margot – Bunted groundout to Perez
SS Wander Franco – Singled to center
LF Randy Arozarena – Grounded out to Jung at third; Franco to second
3B Isaac Paredes – Grounded out to Seager at shortstop
Rangers 4, Rays 2
Top of Sixth
RF Adolis García – Popped out to Bethancourt at first base
C Jonah Heim – Singled to center
3B Josh Jung – Struck out swinging
CF Leody Taveras – Singled to left
Rays Pitching Change: Garrett Cleavinger for Corey Kluber
PH Mark Mathias (for DH Josh Smith) – Flied out to right field
Kluber Pitching Line: 5 2/3 innings, nine hits, four runs (earned), no walks, six strikeouts.
Rangers 0, Rays 0
Bottom of Sixth
1B Christian Bethancourt – Grounded out to Seager at shorstop
2B Taylor Walls – Infield single to Seager, who had no play; Walls safe at first
C Francisco Mejía – Doubled to left field; Walls scored. Rangers 4, Rays 3
CF Jose Siri – Singled to center; Mejía stopped at third
Rangers pitching change: Jesus Tinoco for Martín Pérez
DH Yandy Díaz – Flied out to right field; Siri advances to second on the throw.
RF Manuel Margot – Flied out to center field.
Pérez Pitching Line: 5 1/3 innings, nine hits, three earned runs, one walk, three strikeouts.
Rangers 4, Rays 3
Top of Seventh
LF Bubba Thompson – Struck out swinging
2B Marcus Semien – Grounded out to Paredes at third base
SS Corey Seager – Struck out swinging
Rangers 4, Rays 3
Bottom of Seventh
Rangers Pitching Change: Jonathan Hernandez for Jesus Tinoco
Tinoco Pitching Line: 2/3 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks, no strikeouts
SS Wander Franco – Struck out looking
LF Randy Arozarena - Walked
3B Isaac Paredes – Popped out to Semien at second base; Arozarena remained at first
Rangers pitching change: Brett Martin for Jonathan Hernandez
PH Harold Ramriez (for 1B Christian Bethancourt) – Flied out to center field
Hernandez pitching line: 2/3 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, one strikeout
Rangers 4, Rays 3
Top of Eighth
Rays Pitching Change: Colin Poche for Garrett Cleavinger
Cleavinger Pitching Line: 1 1/3 innings, no hits, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts
1B Nathaniel Lowe – Grounded out to Franco at shortstop
RF Adolis García – Lined out to center field
C Jonah Heim – Grounded out to Paredes at third base
Rangers 4, Rays 3
Bottom of Eighth
Rangers Pitching change: Matt Moore for Brett Martin
Martin Pitching Line: 1/3 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks, no strikeouts
2B Taylor Walls – Struck out swinging
C Francisco Mejía – Flied out to right field
CF Jose Siri – Grounded out to Seager at shortstop
Rangers 4, Rays 3
Top of Ninth
Rays pitching change: JT Chargois for Colin Poche
Poche pitching line: One inning, no hits, no walks, no runs, no strikeouts.
3B Josh Jung – Struck out swinging
CF Leody Taveras – Grounded out to Walls at second base
PH Kole Calhoun (for Mathias, Smith) – Struck out swinging
Rangers 4, Rays 3
Bottom of Ninth
Rangers pitching change: Jose Leclerc for Matt Moore
Moore pitching line: One inning, no runs, no hits, no walks one strikeout
DH Yandy Díaz – Singled to center
RF Manuel Margot – Fielder’s choice grounder to Seager at shortstop; threw to Semien at second to force out Díaz; Margot safe at first
SS Wander Franco – Walked; Margot to second
LF Randy Arozarena – Popped out to Lowe in foul territory down first-base line; Runners hold
3B Isaac Paredes – Hit by pitch; Margot to third; Franco to second
1B Harold Ramirez – Fielder’s choice grounder; Jung fields it and throws to Semien at second to force out Paredes.
Final: Rangers 4, Rays 3
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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