Protect This House: Texas Rangers Piling Up Wins at Globe Life Field

The Texas Rangers has won seven of nine, 10 of 14 and 15 of their last 21 at Globe Life Field since June 19, and are 4-0 at home in extra innings.

Aug 5, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Texas Rangers fans as they battle for a home run ball hit by shortstop Corey Seager (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers didn’t exactly set the world on fire at home during their World Series run. It was their work on the road that led to the franchise’s first championship.

But if the Rangers hope to defend their title, getting it done at Globe Life Field would surely help. Just as they last year during the regular season.

Texas is on a roll right now at home, with the latest victory coming Monday night against the rival Houston Astros. Josh Smith walked it off with a two-run homer in the 10th inning to win it 4-3.

Texas has won seven of nine, 10 of 14 and 15 of of its last 21 games at home since June 19. Overall, the Rangers are 31-25 through 56 games at Globe Life Field this season.

En route to a Wild Card berth in 2023, the Rangers were 50-31 on their field. That was the second-best home record in the American League last season and fourth-best in baseball.

The Rangers only went 2-4 at the GLF in the postseason, but their record 11-0 run away from home secured the World Series championship.

Texas doesn’t get its defend its home turf Monday night with some late-inning heroics. In his first career walk-off plate appearance, Smith went deep against Houston reliever Caleb Ferguson.

Smith said it was the first walk-off home run he’s hit at any level in his life. He picked the right time.

“What an awesome swing,” Corey Seager said, according to MLB.com. “A great AB. He took some good pitches and got the one he wanted and hit a homer. The excitement speaks for it all. That's how the team feels right now. It almost feels like a weight lifted off our shoulders. You get to exhale a little bit. You finally win a close game. It was a really cool swing out to him and something we really needed.”

The Rangers have gone an MLB-best 6-1 (.857) in extra innings this season, including 4-0 at home.

Texas hadn’t had a walk-off homer this season. Adolis García had the last one on Sept. 3, 2023 against the Minnesota Twins. The Rangers do have three in franchise history against the Astros with Adolis García (5/21/21) and Mitch Moreland (6/21/11) also doing so.

Seager did his part to beat Houston, tying the game 2-2 with his 23rd long ball in the eighth. The shortstop has four homers in the first four games on the homestand, which continues Tuesday with the second game of the series against the Astros.

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