GAME UPDATES: Rangers, Rays Begin 3-Game Set

Texas begins a three-game road series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at Tropicana Field.

The Texas Rangers are back on the road for the weekend to take on the Tampa Bay Rays beginning Friday night at Tropicana Field.

The Rangers (62-81) are coming off a series split with Oakland at home. The Rangers took an 8-7 victory over the Athletics on Tuesday as Mark Mathias hit two home runs, including a walk-off to win the game. Right fielder Adolis García set a career high in a key offensive category. Third baseman Josh Jung did something no Rangers rookie has ever done in his first six games. And Marcus Semien brought the comedy by forgetting he was leading off an inning before hitting his third double of the game.

Wednesday’s game saw the Rangers jump out to a big lead only to lose another one-run game, 8-7, to the Athletics. Mathias homered again — and it was part of five straight at-bats with a run-scoring hit. Semien homered again. But it wasn’t enough to help the Rangers to the two-game sweep.

The Rangers are now 11-18 under interim manager Tony Beasley. Tonight’s game features a matchup with former Rangers pitcher Corey Kluber, a two-time Cy Young winner who pitched just one official inning with Texas in 2020 before suffering an injury that ended his season.

Scroll down to get ready for tonight’s game.

Texas Rangers (62-81) at Tampa Bay Rays (80-63)

Sept. 16, 2022, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla., 6:10 p.m. CT

Starting Pitchers

TEX: LHP Martín Pérez (11-6, 2.77)

Vs.

TB: RHP Corey Kluber (10-8, 4.36)

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Rangers Pre-Game Transactions:

None

Rangers Injury List:

OF Brad Miller (10-day, right hip strain), placed on Sept. 9. He is eligible to return on Sept. 19.

P Spencer Howard (15-day, right shoulder impingement), placed on Aug. 10 (retroactive to Aug. 8), eligible to return. He is on a rehab stint at Triple-A Round Rock. He last pitched on Sunday.

P Joe Barlow (15-day, right index finger blister), placed on Aug. 19 (retroactive to Aug. 18). Eligible to return. He has not pitched in an official game since going on the IL.

OF Eli White (60-day, right wrist fracture), placed on June 13. He is expected to be out for the rest of the season after experiencing left knee discomfort during his rehab stint at Round Rock.

C Mitch Garver (60-day, right forearm flexor tendon repair surgery), placed on July 11. He is not expected to return this season.

P Josh Sborz (15-day, right elbow sprain), placed on Aug. 30. Moved to 60-Day IL on Sept. 1. He is out for the season.

Follow the Game

TV

Rangers – Bally Sports Southwest

Rays — Bally Sports Sun

Rangers – 105.3 The Fan, KFLC 1270

Rays – WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM, WTMP

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Texas Rangers Starting Lineup

2B Marcus Semien

SS Corey Seager

1B Nathaniel Lowe

RF Adolis García

C Jonah Heim

3B Josh Jung

CF Leody Taveras

DH Josh Smith

LF Bubba Thompson

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Tampa Bay Rays Starting Lineup

DH Yandy Díaz

RF Manuel Margot

SS Wander Franco

LF Randy Arozarena

3B Isaac Paredes

1B Christian Bethancourt

2B Taylor Walls

C Francisco Mejía

CF Jose Siri

Top of First

TAMPA BAY PITCHER: RHP Corey Kluber (10-8, 4.36)

2B Marcus Semien – Singled on a ground ball to first baseman Christian Bethancourt

SS Corey Seager – Struck out looking; Semien caught stealing at second

1B Nathaniel Lowe – Struck out swinging

Rangers 0, Rays 0

Bottom of First

TEXAS PITCHER: LHP Martín Pérez (11-6, 2.77)

DH Yandy Díaz – Struck out swinging

RF Manuel Margot – Hit by pitch, advanced to first

SS Wander Franco – Lined out to Corey Seager at shortstop

LF Randy Arozarena – Grouned out to Seager; forced out Margot at second

Rangers 0, Rays 0

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Top of Second

RF Adolis García – Flied out to center fielder Jose Siri

C Jonah Heim – Grounded out to Bethancourt

3B Josh Jung – Struck out swinging

Rangers 0, Rays 0

Bottom of Second

3B Isaac Paredes - Walked

1B Christian Bethancourt – Singled to center field; Paredes to second

2B Taylor Walls – Fielder’s choice grounded out Marcus Semien at second base; flips to Seager at the bag; Bethancourt out. Walls safe at first; Paredes advances to third.

C Francisco Mejía – Singled to right field; Walls to third; Paredes scored. Rays 1, Rangers 0

CF Jose Siri – Fielder’s choice grounder to Seager at shortstop. Forces out Meija at second. Siri safe at first. Walls scores. Rays 2, Rangers 0

DH Yandy Díaz – Flied out to Taveras in center field

Rays 2, Rangers 0

Top of Third

CF Leody Taveras – Popped out to Paredes at third base

DH Josh Smith – Struck out swinging

LF Bubba Thompson – Broken-bat single; beat out throw from Rays second baseman Taylor Walls

2B Marcus Semien – Singled to left field; Thompson to second

SS Corey Seager – Double to left-center field gap; scores Thompson and Semien. Rangers 2, Rays 2

1B Nathaniel Lowe – Homered opposite field to left; Seager scored; Lowe scored. Rangers 4, Rays 2

RF Adolis García – Doubled to center field; ball bounced off Mejía

C Jonah Heim – Grounded out to Bethancourt at first base

Rangers 4, Rays 2

Bottom of Third

RF Manuel Margot – Singled to left field

SS Wander Franco – Popped out to Jung in foul territory on third base line; Margot remained at first

LF Randy Arozarena – Popped out to García on right-field line; Margot remained at first

3B Isaac Paredes – Singled; ball hit Jung’s glove and rolled into outfield. Ruled a hit. Margot to third

1B Christian Bethancourt – Flied out to García in right field. Rays strand two runners.

Rangers 4, Rays 2

Top of Fourth

3B Josh Jung – Singled to left field

CF Leody Taveras – Struck out looking

DH Josh Smith – Flew out to center field

LF Bubba Thompson – Flied out to center field

Rangers 4, Rays 2

Bottom of Fourth

2B Taylor Walls – Grounded out to Jung at third

C Francisco Mejía – Doubled to right field

CF Jose Siri – Struck out swinging

DH Yandy Díaz – Struck out looking

Rangers 4, Rays 2

Top of Fifth

2B Marcus Semien – Flied out to center field

SS Corey Seager – Grounded out to Paredes at third

1B Nathaniel Lowe – Popped out to Mejía in foul territory

Rangers 4, Rays 2

Bottom of Fifth

RF Manuel Margot – Bunted groundout to Perez

SS Wander Franco – Singled to center

LF Randy Arozarena – Grounded out to Jung at third; Franco to second

3B Isaac Paredes – Grounded out to Seager at shortstop

Rangers 4, Rays 2

Top of Sixth

RF Adolis García – Popped out to Bethancourt at first base

C Jonah Heim – Singled to center

3B Josh Jung – Struck out swinging

CF Leody Taveras – Singled to left

Rays Pitching Change: Garrett Cleavinger for Corey Kluber

PH Mark Mathias (for DH Josh Smith) – Flied out to right field

Kluber Pitching Line: 5 2/3 innings, nine hits, four runs (earned), no walks, six strikeouts.

Rangers 0, Rays 0

Bottom of Sixth

1B Christian Bethancourt – Grounded out to Seager at shorstop

2B Taylor Walls – Infield single to Seager, who had no play; Walls safe at first

C Francisco Mejía – Doubled to left field; Walls scored. Rangers 4, Rays 3

CF Jose Siri – Singled to center; Mejía stopped at third

Rangers pitching change: Jesus Tinoco for Martín Pérez

DH Yandy Díaz – Flied out to right field; Siri advances to second on the throw.

RF Manuel Margot – Flied out to center field.

Pérez Pitching Line: 5 1/3 innings, nine hits, three earned runs, one walk, three strikeouts.

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Top of Seventh

LF Bubba Thompson – Struck out swinging

2B Marcus Semien – Grounded out to Paredes at third base

SS Corey Seager – Struck out swinging

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Bottom of Seventh

Rangers Pitching Change: Jonathan Hernandez for Jesus Tinoco

Tinoco Pitching Line: 2/3 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks, no strikeouts

SS Wander Franco – Struck out looking

LF Randy Arozarena - Walked

3B Isaac Paredes – Popped out to Semien at second base; Arozarena remained at first

Rangers pitching change: Brett Martin for Jonathan Hernandez

PH Harold Ramriez (for 1B Christian Bethancourt) – Flied out to center field

Hernandez pitching line: 2/3 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, one strikeout

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Top of Eighth

Rays Pitching Change: Colin Poche for Garrett Cleavinger

Cleavinger Pitching Line: 1 1/3 innings, no hits, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts

1B Nathaniel Lowe – Grounded out to Franco at shortstop

RF Adolis García – Lined out to center field

C Jonah Heim – Grounded out to Paredes at third base

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Bottom of Eighth

Rangers Pitching change: Matt Moore for Brett Martin

Martin Pitching Line: 1/3 innings, no runs, no hits, no walks, no strikeouts

2B Taylor Walls – Struck out swinging

C Francisco Mejía – Flied out to right field

CF Jose Siri – Grounded out to Seager at shortstop

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Top of Ninth

Rays pitching change: JT Chargois for Colin Poche

Poche pitching line: One inning, no hits, no walks, no runs, no strikeouts.

3B Josh Jung – Struck out swinging

CF Leody Taveras – Grounded out to Walls at second base

PH Kole Calhoun (for Mathias, Smith) – Struck out swinging

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Bottom of Ninth

Rangers pitching change: Jose Leclerc for Matt Moore

Moore pitching line: One inning, no runs, no hits, no walks one strikeout

DH Yandy Díaz – Singled to center

RF Manuel Margot – Fielder’s choice grounder to Seager at shortstop; threw to Semien at second to force out Díaz; Margot safe at first

SS Wander Franco – Walked; Margot to second

LF Randy Arozarena – Popped out to Lowe in foul territory down first-base line; Runners hold

3B Isaac Paredes – Hit by pitch; Margot to third; Franco to second

1B Harold Ramirez – Fielder’s choice grounder; Jung fields it and throws to Semien at second to force out Paredes.

Final: Rangers 4, Rays 3

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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