ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kumar Rocker allowed a run in six innings and Evan Carter drove in the tying run before robbing Oneil Cruz of a three-run homer, leading the Texas Rangers to a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
Cruz singled leading off the game against Rocker (1-1). He stole second and took an extra base on Danny Jansen’s throwing error. Ryan O’Hearn singled for a 1-0 lead two batters into the game.
Joc Pederson singled leading off the second against Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1) and Josh Jung doubled him to third. Carter singled to tie it and Josh Smith hit a sacrifice fly to put the Rangers up 2-1.
Carter then robbed Cruz of a three-run homer in the fifth to keep it 2-1.
Eqequiel Duran, who came in after left fielder Wyatt Langford left with forearm stiffness, had an RBI double in the Rangers’ fifth and Corey Seager ended Mlodzinski’s night with an RBI single for a 4-1 lead. Wilber Dotel entered and gave up a single to Jake Burger before walking Pederson. Jung drove in Seager on a forceout for the final run.
Rocker threw 88 pitches and allowed four hits and a walk, striking out five. Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning to close it out.
Mlodzinski threw 93 pitches and surrendered all five runs on six hits and two walks. He fanned six.
The Rangers (12-11) moved a game over .500 at the start of a nine-game homestand after playing 16 of their first 22 games on the road.
Pittsburgh dropped to 5-5 on the road and 13-10 for the season.
Langford was the Rangers’ hottest hitter before his injury, going 7 for 14 as Texas dropped two of three in Seattle before coming home. He walked and stole his third base in the first inning and left after striking out in the third.
Up next
Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.38) starts Wednesday opposite Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (1-1, 4.87).
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