Rangers Blow Shot at Sweep, Lose to Mets in Extra Innings

The Texas Rangers head home from a nine-game road trip with a 3-6 record and a deficit in the American League West race.

The Texas Rangers fell to the New York Mets in 10 innings, 6-5, on Wednesday at Citi Field. 

In the 10th inning, the Mets won the game after Rangers relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman hit DJ Stewart with a pitch and the bases loaded.

The Rangers (75-58) were down 3-0 early in the game and eventually took a 5-3 lead before surrendering it in the eighth inning on a Stewart two-run home run off Rangers reliever José Leclerc.

With the result, the Rangers wrapped up their nine-game road trip with a 3-6 record. The Rangers have won three of their last five after an eight-game losing streak.

The Rangers are now a game behind both the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros in the American League West. The Mariners (76-57) beat the Oakland Athletics and the Astros (77-58) beat the Boston Red Sox. 

The Mariners will start a three-game series with the Mets on Friday, while the Astros will host the New York Yankees starting on Friday.

The Rangers will open a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins on Friday after an off-day on Thursday.

Mets 6, Rangers 5

Here are the highlights from the Texas Rangers' game with the New York Mets on Wednesday.

Pitching Problems

Rangers starter Dane Dunning was only able to get through four innings on Wednesday, giving up five hits and two walks against four strikeouts. More importantly, he gave up three runs, all earned and all of which came in the second inning. It was eerily similar to his last start against Minnesota, in which he also went four innings and gave up five hits, four earned runs and six walks along with six strikeouts. 

Dunning handed the ball to former starter Martín Pérez and he helped keep the Rangers in the game, throwing three scoreless innings and getting the Mets to ground into two important double-play balls. Pérez threw two scoreless innings to claim a relief win on Monday and dealt five scoreless innings in the series. 

José Leclerc gave up a two-run lead in the eighth on a DJ Stewart home run, which resulted in Leclerc's exit from the game. Will Smith held things together to get the game to extra innings. 

Aroldis Chapman failed to record an out in the 10th as he hit Stewart with a pitch and the bases loaded to end the game. The Rangers blew six saves on the nine-game road trip.

A Full-Moon Offense

Wednesday's game was played under a full moon at Citi Field. The Rangers offense, at times, embodies that event.

Texas didn't have a big inning early, but they cobbled together enough offense to set up a comeback late. Corey Seager hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and Leody Taveras scored on a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning. The Rangers squandered the chance for more runs in that inning, as the bases remained loaded with one out before Mitch Garver and Jonah Heim struck out. 

But redemption came for Heim in the eighth. The Rangers loaded the bases with no one out for Adolis García, who drew the walk that scored Taveras. He was hit by a pitch by Mets reliever Adam Ottavino and that brought home Marcus Semien to tie the game at 3-3. 

After Garver grounded into a double play, Heim hit a two RBI single off Ottavino to bring home Lowe and García to give the Rangers the lead. 

The Rangers couldn't reclaim the lead in the 10th despite loading the bases with no one out. The Rangers left nine runners on base, drew eight walks and were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. 

Next Up

The Texas Rangers return home from their three-city road trip to begin a three-series homestand on Friday against the Minnesota Twins. The Rangers are expected to start right-hander Max Scherzer (12-5, 3.71) against Minnesota right-hander Joe Ryan (9-8, 4.33). 

After the three-games series with the Twins, the Rangers have successive three-game series with the Houston Astros and the Oakland Athletics. 

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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