Back-to-back home runs by Semien, Seager propel Rangers past Angels 6-3
Marcus Semien and Corey Seager hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the seventh inning to lift the Texas Rangers to a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.
Semien's two-run homer struck high up the left-field foul pole to break a 1-1 tie. Seager followed with a shot to right field on the next pitch.
The homer capped a 2 for 5 game for Semien, who came in hitless in 15 at-bats and 3 for 28 following a career-best 25-game hitting streak.
"I'm still doing the same things I was doing during the streak," Semien said. "You're going to have ups and downs, but you just fight through it."
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer in the ninth, his AL-leading 21st, and went 2 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games. The homer was an opposite-field blast into the second deck traveling 453 feet.
"When he's in a groove like this, it's fun to watch," Angels manager Phil Nevin said.
Leody Taveras hit a solo homer in the third and added one of two RBI singles in the eighth inning.
The Rangers snapped a three-game losing streak and lead the A.L. West by 3½ games. Their 42-25 record ties the franchise best through 67 games.
The Angels saw a three-game winning streak end as they left 10 runners on, nine in the first four innings.
Josh Sborz (3-2) got the win working scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
Jimmy Herget (1-3) allowed Texas' three seventh-inning runs in his one inning of relief of Reid Detmers.
The Angels scored their run when Mike Trout drew a two-out walk and came around on Anthony Rendon's flare that struck the inside of the right-field line about 200 feet from home plate. Texas right-fielder Adolis Garcia, who leads major league outfielders with nine assists, rifled a throw to the plate just as Trout rounded third. The throw landed in front of the plate and bounced high over catcher Mitch Garver as Trout slid in.
Los Angeles left the bases loaded in the third and fourth inning, knocking out former Angel Andrew Heaney.
"It's not too often you chase the starter in the fourth with close to a hundred pitches, only get one (run) off of him," Nevin said.
Detmers threw 65 pitches through five innings but needed 30 to get through the sixth. He left the bases loaded, striking out Josh Jung and Jonah Heim.
COMING AND GOING
Texas recalled C Sam Huff from Triple-A Round Rock, activated RHP Joe Barlow from the injured list, designated C Sandy Leon for assignment and optioned RHP Owen White back to Double-A Frisco a day after White was recalled and pitched two innings in his major league debut.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: SS Zach Neto left the game after the first inning because of cramping in his left side. … INF Gio Urshela (back soreness) was out of the starting lineup for third consecutive game. … LHP Matt Moore (right oblique strain) could be throwing off a mound late this weekend, Nevin said.
Rangers: RHP Jon Gray (blister), scratched from a Monday start, should return to the rotation in four or five days, manager Bruce Bochy said.
UP NEXT
Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (9-2, 2.49 ERA) has a chance to become MLB's second 10-game winner when he starts the series finale on Thursday night. He is 8-0 with a 1.65 ERA and two complete games in his last 10 starts. Two-way Angels star RHP Ohtani (5-2, 3.22) is winless in his last four starts on the mound. Ohtani is 2-1 with a 5.66 ERA in four starts at Globe Life Field.