LDN - Sports

Rangers rally in 9th to defeat Angels

[September 20, 2016] ARLINGTON, Texas -- Another case of walk-off heroics inched the Texas Rangers closer to the American League West title and a postseason berth.

Ian Desmond drove in Elvis Andrus in the ninth inning Monday night to give the Rangers a 3-2, comeback win over the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park.

While their latest rally wasn't overly dramatic, the Rangers added to their baseball-best total of comeback victories (46) after taking the opener of the three-game series with their AL West rivals.

Texas (89-62) reduced its magic number to clinch the division to four pending the outcome of the Seattle Mariners' late game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rangers also snapped a two-game skid.

With the playoffs basically a foregone conclusion, the Rangers still see no reason to lay off the gas now.

"Just play it straight," Desmond said after a 3-for-5 night. "Just try to play the same way we've been playing all year. It's been working, so no reason to change now."

Solo home runs from Nomar Mazara and Andrus, plus a solid outing from Martin Perez, set the table for another late-inning reversal of fortune. Closer Sam Dyson (3-2) picked up the win in relief with a scoreless ninth.

Perez went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. The lefty didn't issue a walk while making his fourth consecutive quality start.

"Martin did a tremendous job the way he pitched," Andrus said after going 3-for-4 and scoring twice. "We were able to stay in the game and then tried to put up a couple of runs. Team effort."

The Rangers opened the ninth with back-to-back hits from Andrus and Carlos Gomez, the latter a bunt single to set up runners at first and second. Desmond followed with an opposite-field liner off reliever Jose Alvarez (1-3) to right to score Andrus easily.

"We played hard and just couldn't get that key hit that could have changed it," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said.

The last-place Angels (65-85) took advantage of an umpire review to tie the game 1-1 in the sixth.

The sequence started with Yunel Escobar being thrown out at third after his drive to right appeared to momentarily get lodged under the outfield-wall padding. Mazara didn't throw up his hands to signal a ground-rule double, and instead started the relay that gunned down Escobar.

Scioscia challenged, and review determined it should have been a ground-rule double. Rangers manager Jeff Banister was then thrown out by crew chief Joe West for arguing.

Escobar scored on Mike Trout's triple into the righ -field corner.

Carlos Perez put the Angels up 2-1 in the seventh with a two-out double to plate Jefry Marte.

The Rangers pulled even on Andrus' shot to center with two outs in the seventh off reliever Cory Rasmus.

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Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) and second baseman Rougned Odor (12) celebrate Andrus' home run during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Mazara broke a scoreless tie with a leadoff home run in the fifth against Angels starter Jhoulys Chacin. The rookie's 19th homer of the season just cleared left fielder Marte's glove to land in the visitors' bullpen.

The Rangers had runners on base in each of the first four innings, including two in the third. Chacin was not only able to keep Texas off the scoreboard, but he stayed on the mound after being drilled on the lower left leg by Johnathan Lucroy's liner in the fourth.

Chacin allowed only one run on six hits in five innings.

"Jhoulys pitched a good game," Scioscia said. "I think he had a really good slider going, good command with his fastball, good movement on it. When he got hit in the leg, it took something out of him. After five innings, that was about it."

Mitch Moreland, who struck out against Chacin to end the fourth, was ejected on his way back to the dugout after exchanging words with plate umpire Kerwin Danley. Jurickson Profar replaced Moreland at first base.

Texas had its errorless streak end at seven straight games when Rougned Odor booted a sharp Trout grounder to lead off the fourth. The mistake didn't faze Perez, who coaxed a fly ball before striking out two Angels to end the inning.

NOTES: The game had a 38-minute rain delay in the bottom of the eighth. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre passed Rogers Hornsby for 37th all-time in hits with 2,931. ... Texas announced that LHP Derek Holland will start Wednesday in the finale against the Angels. The first two starters for the Oakland series opening Friday will be LHP Cole Hamels and RHP Yu Darvish. ... The Angels have won the season series against Texas each of the last two years. The Rangers lead 9-8 this year with two games left. ... Angels OF Kole Calhoun was not with the team to remain with his wife for the birth of their first child. ... Texas' club record for home wins in a season is 52. The Rangers are 49-24 with eight home games remaining.

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