Allard, Solak Lead Rangers Over Orioles 3-1
BALTIMORE (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Rookie Kolby Allard won his third straight start, Nick Solak hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off John Means in the seventh inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Thursday night.
Allard (4-0), a 22-year-old left-hander acquired from Atlanta for reliever Chris Martin on July 30, allowed one run and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks.
José Leclerc gave up a leadoff double to Mason Williams in the ninth, walked Rio Ruiz with two outs, then retired Hanser Alberto on a flyout for his 10th save in 14 chances, dropping the Orioles to 46-94. After going 47-115 last season, the team is headed to consecutive 100-loss seasons for the first time since the St. Louis Browns went 54-100 in 1953 and the Orioles finished with the same record the following year.
The announced crowd at Camden Yards was just 8,209.
Means (10-10) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Texas batters struck out 10 times, their 74th time reaching double digits this year, and raised their major league-leading total to 1,401. The 2013 Houston Astros hold the record at 1,535.
Trey Mancini, who had three hits, doubled leading off the sixth and scored on Renato Núñez's sacrifice fly.
Means retired 10 in a row before Willie Calhoun singled starting the seventh. Solak followed with his second homer since his debut on Aug. 20.
Logan Forsythe added a run-scoring single in the ninth off Branden Kline.
The Rangers are now 69-73 and will play the Orioles again tomorrow at 6:05 p.m.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)