Run-scoring single boosts Rangers past Pirates 1-0
Rookie Wyatt Langford's single scored pinch-runner Ezequiel Duran with two out in the ninth inning, giving the Texas Rangers a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
Jonah Heim and Adolis García singled off David Bednar (3-6) to open Texas' half of the ninth. Duran, running for Heim, advanced to third on a flyout to deep right field by Nathaniel Lowe. Bednar struck out Josh Jung on a 3-2 fastball after García stole second base. Langford then laced an RBI single to center field on a 2-1 curve.
The Rangers, who have dropped from third in the majors in runs last year en route to winning the World Series to 18th, had been 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position before Langford's single.
"Anytime you're in that situation you want to get a big hit," Langford said. "It was cool to come through."
The winning run ended a streak of 22 scoreless innings in the series for the Rangers, who claimed two of three games against the Pirates and ended a string of seven consecutive lost series.
Kirby Yates (5-2) pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Rangers, who have won three of their last four games.
Rangers starter Andrew Heaney worked five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out eight. The 33-year-old left-hander entered the game with an MLB-leading 13 losses and the eighth-lowest run support among AL qualifiers at 3.84 per game. He received no run support on Wednesday.
"Good stuff. Location. Poise, which he usually has with men on base," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of Heaney. "The record's not indicative of how he's been throwing the ball."
Pittsburgh's Domingo Germán pitched six scoreless innings, giving up three singles and four walks in his first major league start this year. Germán, who pitched a perfect game for the New York Yankees in June 2023, made three relief appearances for Pittsburgh after being recalled on Aug. 9 from Triple-A Indianapolis.
"The last start he had was Aug. 3, so for him to give us six innings was outstanding," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "He really did a good job of keeping them off balance."
The Pirates went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, left 10 runners on and struck out 16 times.
"Had some opportunities. Had the bases loaded twice," Shelton said. "We just didn't get a hit that we needed to break the game open."
Pittsburgh put its first two hitters aboard in the seventh on singles by Yasmani Grandal and pinch-hitter Billy McKinney. With the infield in, Kiner-Falefa faked a bunt and lined to first baseman Lowe, who beat McKinney back to the bag for an unassisted double play. Bryan Reynolds struck out to end the threat.
"That ball's one foot or six inches right or left and all of a sudden we have a double and we scored two runs," Shelton said.
Bochy said if all goes well in Friday's scheduled rehab start by RHP Max Scherzer (arm fatigue) at Double-A Frisco, the 40-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner should start next week when the club visits the Chicago White Sox.
Nathan Eovaldi (8-7, 3.76) will pitch Friday's series opener at Cleveland against RHP Tanner Bibee (10-5, 3.33).