The Texas Rangers scored seven runs but the Los Angeles Dodgers scored eight runs.
The Rangers held leads of 3-1 and 4-2 in this game thanks to homers from Corey Seager (three-run blast in the 3rd) and Wyatt Langford (solo shot in the 5th, his first of the year) off LA co-co-co-co-co-co-co-co-co-ace Tyler Glasnow, but the Dodgers have inevitability on their side even though the Rangers made them work for it.
Despite a serviceable start from Kumar Rocker (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K in 83 pitches), where he left with a 4-3 lead after five innings, Robert Garcia — demoted from the late innings — arrived once more to sully a game.
After Rocker had wiggled out of a jam to keep Texas ahead an inning prior, left-hander Garcia immediately walked left-handed batter Freddie Freeman and then allowed hits to three of the next four batters as Los Angeles scored two runs in the 6th to pull ahead.
The Texas bats needed to produce against a well-stocked Dodgers bullpen and didn’t get much done until Evan Carter hit a two-run home run off Los Angeles closer Edwin Diaz in the 9th for his first of the year. Unfortunately for Texas, red-hot Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages had already added insurance with a two-run home run off Luis Curvelo in the bottom of the 8th. Those runs proved to be quite critical.
Following Carter, the Rangers continued to rally against Diaz and eventually Ezequiel Duran tied the game with a two-out single that scored pitch runner Sam Haggerty. Duran was only even in the game because Langford left with a tight quad that he tweaked running hard initially before his homer cleared the fence.
With the game tied, Jacob Latz was called on for the bottom of the 9th and quickly got two quick outs before Max Muncy ended the game with his third home run of the game. Just like that Latz had has an ERA and the Rangers have a loss to begin their first lengthy West Coast road trip of the season.
Player of the Game: Well, kind of obviously Muncy, yeah?
Up Next: The Rangers will get another crack at quieting the Dodgers with RHP Jack Leiter expected to pitch for Texas against RHP Emmet Sheehan for Los Angeles.
The Saturday evening first pitch from Dodgers Stadium is scheduled for 8:10 pm CDT and will be carried on the Rangers Sports Network.
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