Adolis Garcia and Evan Carter showcased their power with consecutive home runs in the fourth inning, propelling the Texas Rangers to a commanding 5-1 triumph over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night at Arlington, Texas. This victory catapulted the Rangers back into the top spot in the American League West standings.
Reliever Jonathan Hernandez (1-0) clinched the win, supported by an impeccable performance from the Rangers’ bullpen, which conceded only one hit across 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
Mariners’ right-hander Bryce Miller (3-2), previously dominant in his last three starts, grappled with control issues, lasting just four-plus innings and surrendering two runs on four hits, along with four walks and five strikeouts. Seattle struck first in the opening inning as Josh Rojas, substituting for the sidelined J.P. Crawford due to right oblique soreness, tripled to center field, later scoring on Mitch Haniger’s groundout.
The Rangers seized momentum in the fourth inning. Adolis Garcia’s well-placed 3-1 sinker sailed over the center-field wall, narrowly evading a leaping Julio Rodriguez’s glove. Following Garcia’s blast, Evan Carter connected on an 0-1 splitter, sending the ball soaring over the right-center wall, propelling the Rangers to a 2-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, Texas extended their lead with two additional runs. Josh Smith was struck by a pitch with one out, setting the stage for Wyatt Langford’s single to right field, advancing Smith to third. Jonah Heim’s RBI single to right was compounded by a defensive mishap from Mitch Haniger, allowing Langford to capitalize on an error and score from first base, extending the Rangers’ advantage to 4-1. Carter continued his offensive prowess in the seventh inning, driving in another run with an RBI triple to right field, sealing the victory for the Rangers.
Starting pitcher Jon Gray delivered a solid performance before exiting the game after 92 pitches in 4 2/3 innings, conceding only one run on seven hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts. Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh, known for his recent power surge with home runs in four of the last five games, was absent from the lineup due to dental surgery earlier in the day.