Texas Rangers Blow Lead Twice, Lose In Extra Innings To Arizona Diamondbacks

Aroldis Chapman blew a save in the ninth, and Will Smith blew a lead in the 11th as the Texas Rangers lost a season-worst fifth consecutive game.

The Texas Rangers twice blew leads in the ninth and 11th innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for a 4-3 win Monday at Chase Field.

It's the Rangers fifth consecutive loss, their longest losing streak of the season.

Will Smith, who started the 11th, blew a 3-1 lead. He had two outs before walking Ketel Marte to put two on. Consecutive doubles, including the two-run game-winner by Tommy Pham, were enough for Arizona.

Nathaniel Lowe drove in two runs with a single in the 11th inning to give the Texas Rangers a 3-1 lead.

With Ezequiel Duran at third and Corey Seager and second, Lowe was behind 0-2 before working the count to 2-2. He lined the two-run, go-ahead, opposite-field single to left.

Ketel Marte's ninth-inning homer on Adolis Garcia's 92 mph split-finger fastball over the middle of the plate tied the game at 1-1. 

Adolis Garcia snapped out of a slump with a solo home run in the seventh inning to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

Garcia was 2 for 24 before the homer, which StatCast estimated at 106.7 mph and 425 feet.

The Rangers (72-53) saw their lead on the Astros drop to 1 1/2 games and 2 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners, who both won Monday.

The Diamondbacks (65-61) used a bullpen game on the mound, with Slade Cecconi getting the bulk of the work with five innings. He started the third and was still on the mound in the seventh when Garcia snapped the scoreless tie.

The Rangers started a nine-game, 10-day road trip on Monday with the first of two against the Diamondbacks before four in Minnesota and three at the New York Mets.

Got his swagger back. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/PdBQRiOfWF

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) August 22, 2023

Diamondbacks 4, Rangers 3 (11)

Here are the top moments from Monday's Rangers-DBacks game:

Jordan Montgomery Again

In his 25th start this season and fourth with the Rangers, Montgomery tossed his best of the game of the season, with eight innings of scoreless work. He allowed four singles and a walk and struck out six.

His previous longest outing this season was seven innings, which he did twice, the last coming on June 20 for the St. Louis Cardinals. He went six innings in each of his first three starts for Texas.

In 26 innings with the Rangers, he's held opponents to five runs on 23 hits, five runs, with 26 strikeouts and three walks.

Chapman Closes

Aroldis Chapman blew the save in the ninth and returned in the 10th. It's the first time he's pitched more than an inning with the Rangers and only the second time he's pitched more than an inning since the start o the 2022 season. The last time he pitched two innings of relief was on July 27, 2017, with the Yankees.

Up Next

Rangers right-hander Jon Gray (8-6, 3.52) faces Diamondbacks right-hander Gallen (13-5, 3.17) in the series finale at 8:40 p.m. Tuesday. The Rangers are off Wednesday before starting a four-game series against the Twins at 7:10 p.m. Thursday in Minnesota.

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You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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