Milwaukee Brewers Outlast Texas Rangers in Series Opener

The Texas Rangers couldn't slow down the Milwaukee Brewers' offense in a series-opening loss.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers dropped their series opener to the Milwaukee Brewers, 9-8, Friday night at Globe Life Field.

Milwaukee's Carlos Santana hit a three-run home run off Rangers reliever Josh Sborz (5-5) in the seventh inning to put the Brewers ahead for good. 

The Rangers were down five runs in their final at-bat and scored four times, forcing the Brewers to bring in their closer, Devin Williams (29) to get the save.

The Rangers (72-50) lost, but they didn't lose ground in the American League West race, as the Houston Astros fell to the Seattle Mariners, 2-0. The Rangers maintained their 2 1/2-game lead. But, the Mariners are also just five games back of the Rangers. 

Rangers starter Andrew Heaney was unable to get out of the fourth inning and the bullpen couldn't hold a one-run Rangers lead. 

Brewers (66-57) starter Brandon Woodruff didn't factor in the decision. Milwaukee's Elvis Peguero (3-4) got the win.

Brewers 9, Rangers 8

Here are the highlights from the Rangers' game with the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.

Bad Night on the Bump

Andrew Heaney was pulled early for the second straight start, only this time it was for performance and not an illness. He threw 84 pitches in 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and three runs, striking out three and walking one. He handed a runners-on situation to reliever Chris Stratton in the fourth. He got out of that and threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, during which the Rangers got the lead back. 

Unfortunately, reliever Josh Sborz gave up the lead in the seventh after giving up a three-run home run to Carlos Santana. With a runner on and one out, left-hander Brock Burke replaced him and got an inning-ending double play. In the eighth, Burke gave up three runs. 

In all, the Rangers gave up nine runs and 14 hits to Milwaukee in a game in which they only briefly held the lead. 

Offense, But Too Little, Too Late

The Rangers were no-hit for the first three innings, and then their first two hits were home runs — a two-run shot by Nathaniel Lowe and a solo home run by Mitch Garver — which tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth. The Rangers took the lead in the sixth on Adolis García's RBI single. But for much of the game the Rangers struggled to get hits off the Brewers' pitching staff. 

In the ninth, the Rangers mounted a rally down five runs and having not won a game in 41 tries this season when trailing after eight innings. An RBI groundout by J.P. Martinez, an RBI double by Ezequiel Duran, an RBI double by Travis Jankowski and an RBI groundout by Marcus Semien to cut the lead to one run, but the Rangers fell just short. 

Next Up

The Rangers and Brewers continue their series at 3:05 p.m. Saturday in a game that will be broadcast on both Bally Sports Southwest and FS1. Rangers right-hander Dane Dunning (9-4, 3.10) expects to take the baseball against Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (9-8, 4.08). 

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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