Rangers Rally From 7 Runs Down But Lose In 9th
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DENVER (AP) - The Texas Rangers rallied from seven runs down to tie it. Then they lost the game in agonizing fashion.
Ben Paulsen, whose blunder in the field aided the Rangers' comeback, hit a tiebreaking single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Colorado Rockies beat Texas 8-7 on Monday night.
"We fought our way back," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "Seven runs down and we came back. These guys continued to gut it out and perform, tie it up. That's a tough way to lose."
Troy Tulowitzki homered and Nolan Arenado had two RBIs for Colorado, which has won a season-best five in a row at home.
Prince Fielder had two hits and three RBIs and Adrian Beltre had three hits for the Rangers, who have lost 10 of 12.
Beltre's second double of the night tied the game at 7 in the ninth against closer John Axford (2-2) but the Rockies rallied in the bottom of the inning. Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez both fought off tough inside pitches to lead off with singles off Tanner Scheppers (3-1).
One out later Paulsen lined a single to left-center to score pinch-runner Drew Stubbs from second base.
"It's a tough one to swallow, especially after the team came back so much," Scheppers said. "I've got to be able to go out there and throw a zero, but tonight just wasn't my night. I feel like I made some good pitches but that last pitch was (bad)."
It was the Rangers' fifth straight loss at Colorado since their last win on June 23, 2006.
The Rockies took a 7-0 lead in the second inning.
Arenado had a two-run double in the three-run first and Tulowitzki capped a four-run second with a two-run homer to left, his 12th on the season, to put Colorado ahead.
Starter Nick Martinez, called up from Triple-A before the game, settled down and allowed Texas to get back into it. The Rangers chipped away with a two runs in the third and then made it a game in the fifth with some alert base running.
With runners on second and third and one out, Fielder grounded to first. Paulsen fielded it, touched the bag and started jogging to the dugout before realizing Rougned Odor was heading home from second. Paulsen's throw to the plate was late and Odor slid in safely to make it 7-5.
Fielder was awarded two RBIs on the play and he now has 57 on the season.
Beltre's double in the seventh made it 7-6.
Rockies starter Chris Rusin allowed five runs -- two earned -- in six innings.
ON THE BAG
Adrian Beltre played his 2,413th game at third base, snapping a tie with Graig Nettles for second-most games played at the hot corner. Brooks Robinson is all-time leader with 2,870 games played at third.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Matt Harrison (0-1, 13.50 ERA) will make his second start of the season Tuesday. Harrison has started just seven games since 2012 because of four surgeries, three on his back.
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