Jonah Heim Keeps Texas Rangers Streaking Behind Jacob deGrom
Jacob deGrom put the Texas Rangers to win again, but it took some extra time Tuesday night to down the Kansas City Royals 8-5 at Globe Life Park.
And it was well worth it.
Jonah Heim walked it off with a three-run bomb to right to cap off a rally in the 10th inning and give the Rangers their third consecutive win.
As for deGrom, the Rangers ace hasn’t lost in his first three starts for his new franchise, but he’s just 1-0 after logging seven innings and notching nine strikeouts. Texas won on deGrom’s first appearance Opening Day, but he didn’t factor in that decision either.
In his longest outing of the young season, deGrom worked around trouble in several innings and gave the Rangers a chance. He left with a 4-2 lead.
Texas reliever Jonathan Hernández, Will Smith and José Leclerc each allowed a run over the last three innings, though the last was unearned in the 10th.
The Rangers (7-4) had timely hitting with deGrom on the mound. One night after Andrew Heaney set a team and tied an American League record for consecutive strikeouts, deGrom etched his name into franchise annals. The right-hander has struck out 27 batters through his first three starts, breaking the club mark of 26 by Nolan Ryan in 1989.
Ryan also held the record for successive K’s in a game with seven until Heaney fanned nine straight Royals on Monday.
Marcus Semien, Nathaniel Lowe, Adolis García and Brad Miller drove in runs for the Rangers. Semien, Corey Seager and Josh Jung each had two hits.
García had a two-out hit in the 10th to score Semien, setting up the heroics from Heim.
Seager did leave the game in the fifth inning with what the Rangers labeled as "hamstring tightness."
The Royals (3-9) pulled within 4-3 in the eighth and had the bases loaded with one out. Rangers reliever Will Smith put out the fire with two strikeouts to preserve the lead.
Leclerc couldn't lock it down, as the Royals tied the game.
Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 4.22) goes to the mound for Texas with a series sweep in play, with Brad Keller (1-1, 2.61) starting for Kansas City. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
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