Rangers Blast Way Past Rays in Series Opener

The Texas Rangers started their seven-game homestand by blasting two home runs off Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen and defeating the Rays 9-5 on Monday night at Globe Life Field.

The Rangers, for the second time in three days, are a game under .500 (23-24) as head into Tuesday’s contest with Martín Pérez on the hill as the Rangers attempt to get back to .500 for the first since late in the 2019 season.

The Rays (28-20), like the Rangers, have played some of the best baseball in the American League this month. Entering Monday, the Rays had a slightly better winning percentage (.615) in May than the Rangers (.600).

Josh Smith

Eli White

Marcus Semien

But the Rangers jumped on Rasmussen (5-2) as he gave up a career-high five runs in just three innings of work. The Rangers scored runs in each inning.

In the first, Kole Calhoun’s single scored Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to make it 2-0.

"He did exactly what we talked about," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "Just take what he gives you the other way."

In the second, Eli White hit a two-run home run to dead center field to give the Rangers a 4-1 lead.

"I felt like that kind of blew the game open," Woodward said.

Then, in the third, Jonah Heim blasted a leadoff solo shot to right field to give the Rangers a 5-1 lead.

Texas also put together a four-run sixth inning, fueled by two-run double by Mitch Garver that put the Rangers up 9-2.

Texas would need the extra runs. The Rays put their first five hitters on in the seventh and scored three runs off reliever Matt Moore before Rangers manager Chris Woodward brought in Dennis Santana. He retired the next three hitters to preserve a 9-5 lead for the Rangers.

The Rays also must have felt robbed after a first-inning catch in left field by White, one that deprived Rays slugger Ji-Man Choi of what would have been a three-run home run. Instead, White leapt into the wall, reached over it and snagged the ball in one of the best catches in MLB this season.

"He might be Spider-Man, I don't know," Rangers pitcher Glenn Otto said about White's catch, during which he got 11 feet off the ground.

White had a big night at the plate, home run aside. White went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Garver also went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Calhoun went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Mitch Garver

Jonah Heim

Corey Seager

Rangers starter Glenn Otto (3-2) had a solid outing, pitching six innings for the second time in three starts. He allowed two runs (one earned), four hits and three walks while striking out four.

The game featured a moment of silence for the school shooting tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, last week. The Texas Rangers Foundation will donate funds to the victims.

The game also marked the Major League debut of Josh Smith, who was called up from Triple A Round Rock and started at third base after the Rangers put Brad Miller on the 10-day injured list. Smith singled in his first MLB at-bat. He finished 3-for-4 at the plate and scored two runs, as he became the sixth Rangers rookie to have three hits in his debut.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.