It's Getting Real! Texas Rangers Sweep Rays, Win 6th Straight

The Texas Rangers have their longest win streak since 2019 after sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays.

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Texas Rangers are officially streaking.

The club won its sixth consecutive game, sweeping the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-1 win Wednesday afternoon at Globe Life Field.

It's the Rangers' longest win streak since they won six straight in June 2019. 

The Rangers (58-39) have a 4 1/2-game lead on the Houston Astros atop the AL West.

Texas has matched its best 97-game start with the 2012 club and is 6-0 after the All-Star Break for the first time since 1977.

The Rays (60-39) dropped percentage points behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East.

Leody Taveras homered in the third and drove in a huge insurance run in the seventh before Jonah Heim's three-run homer in the eighth broke the game open.

The Rangers bullpen pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings after starter Jon Gray was forced to leave with a bruised left shin when he was hit by a batted ball in the fifth inning.

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Rangers 5, Rays 1

Double the Fun!

Jonah Heim's double in the fourth gave the Rangers 27 consecutive games with a double. It's tied for the second-longest streak in club history with 2015 team. The club record is 34 consecutive games with a double in 1996.

Gray Leaves Game with Injury

Rangers starting pitcher Jon Gray left the game after taking a 112 mph batted ball off his left foot in the fifth inning. The Rays had two runners on and one out at the time. After taking a few practice pitches, the Rangers chose to replace him with Brock Burke. Burke forced two flyouts to center to end the inning.

Gray was diagnosed with a bruised left shin. X-rays were negative.

Alex Speas Makes Debut

Right-handed reliever Alex Speas, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock before Wednesday's game, made his MLB debut in the seventh. He replaced Brock Burke with one on and one out with the Rangers leading 1-0. Speas, 25, struck out pinch-hitter Wander Franco swinging on a full count and catcher Jonah Heim threw out Manuel Margot trying to steal second to end the inning.

Speas pitched a perfect eighth, including two strikeouts. He topped out at 98 mph. 

Up Next

The Rangers are off Thursday before starting a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Globe Life Field. The Dodgers also have an off day after taking two of three in Baltimore.

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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