LeBlanc, Marlins break loose, beat Rangers to split twinbill
MIAMI - Rookie Charles Leblanc hit a pair of RBI doubles during an eight-run burst in the fifth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Texas Rangers 10-6 Monday night for a split of their doubleheader.
Texas won the opener 3-2 as Mark Mathias drew a bases-loaded walk to snap an eighth-inning tie.
The Marlins trailed 3-1 in the nightcap before breaking loose. Leblanc's double against reliever A.J. Alexy (1-1) got Miami within one before Jon Berti hit a go-ahead, two-run single.
Brian Anderson followed with an RBI single and Garrett Cooper hit a two-run double. Nick Fortes added an RBI single and Leblanc capped the outburst with his second double.
Leblanc, picked by Miami off waivers from Texas last winter, became the sixth Marlins player with multiple extra-base hits in an inning.
Marcus Semien hit his 22nd home run, tripled and singled and Corey Seager hit his 30th homer for the Rangers.
The Rangers cut a 10-3 deficit on Semien's two-out RBI triple and Seager's two-run drive off Bryan Hoening (1-1) in the seventh.
Starters Jon Gray of Texas and Miami's Braxton Garrett were activated from the injured list before the second game and neither completed five innings.
Sidelined since Aug. 2 because of a left oblique strain, Gray was on a limited pitch count. He exited after 45 pitches and 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball. He gave up two hits and struck out five.
Rookie Josh Jung's second homer of the season led off the Texas fifth and made it 1-all.
Garrett gave up two runs, two hits, walked two, struck out four and hit a batter in 4 2/3 innings. An oblique strain had also landed him on the injured list as he missed 23 games.
Marlins starter Trevor Rogers struck out a season high nine in the first game but the Rangers chased him after they erased a 2-0 deficit with a two-run seventh.
Adolis García hit a one-out double and Mathias walked before rookie Josh Jung's RBI double and ended Rogers' outing. Tommy Nance relieved Rogers and allowed Sam Huff's tying groundout.
Miami reliever Steven Okert (5-3) walked Corey Seager and Adolis García around Nathaniel Lowe's two-out infield single in the eighth before Mathias reached.
Jonathan Hernández (2-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings. Matt Moore inherited two runners from Hernández in the eighth and retired Miguel Rojas on a groundout. José Leclerc closed with a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
TKACHUK'S MOUND APPEARANCE
Newly acquired Florida Panthers star wing Matthew Tkachuk threw the ceremonial first pitch before the second game. Tkachuk donned a Marlins jersey with his No. 19. The Panthers obtained Tkachuk in a trade with the Calgary Flames July 22.
SPLIT DATES COMPLETE SERIES
The clubs' original three-game series was set for April 4-6, but the MLB lockout altered the early season schedule. As a result, the games were split into one played on July 21 and Monday's doubleheader.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Spencer Howard (right shoulder impingement) allowed one run and five hits and struck out four in his four-inning rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
Marlins: After repeated setbacks in his rehabilitation, OF Jorge Soler (low back spasms) will be shut down for the remainder of the season. Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP, joined the Marlins on a three-year, $36 million free agent deal as the club expected him to be one of its top offensive threats. Instead, Soler was limited to 72 games and finished with 13 home runs and 34 RBIs.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Cole Ragans (0-2, 3.80) will start the opener of a three-game home series against Oakland on Tuesday. The A's will start LHP Ken Waldichuk (0-1, 3.60).
Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (12-7, 2.43) will make his sixth start of the season against Philadelphia in the opener of a three-game home set Tuesday. The Phillies will go with LHP Bailey Falter (4-3, 4.02).