MacKenzie Gore allowed just one run on three hits over a season-high eight innings in the Texas Rangers’ 7-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.
Joc Pederson and Ezequiel Duran homered and Brandon Nimmo and Jake Burger each had three hits for the Rangers, who have won three of their last four games.
Ildemaro Vargas’ solo home run in the top of the first inning was all the Diamondbacks could muster against the left-handed Gore (3-3), who had been 0-3 with a 6.85 ERA since April 8.
Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (1-4) could not get out of the fifth and lost his third consecutive start.
Gallen, who gave up a season-high seven runs on seven hits in 4 ? innings, has failed to make it through five innings in three of his last four starts.
Nimmo left the game in the bottom of the sixth when his left ankle got twisted in a close play at first base which turned out to be an infield hit. Sam Haggery pinch-ran for Nimmo.
A four-run fifth inning for Texas made the difference in the win.
The Rangers strung together three straight run-scoring singles with two outs in the inning. Duran, Alejandro Osuna and Burger delivered the hits.
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on three straight walks by Rangers reliever Gavin Collyer. Vargas ripped a line drive up the middle to bring in a run, and the Rangers had to go to the bullpen again.
Facing Rangers closer Jacob Latz, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove in another run with a fielder’s choice to third base, on a play in which Josh Jung slid to his right to stop the ball from going down the left field line.
Gabriel Moreno’s sacrifice fly cut the Texas lead to three before Latz picked up his fifth save of the season.
