ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wyatt Langford couldn’t have scripted a better return.
Activated from the injured list before Thursday’s game, Langford delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Texas Rangers to a dramatic 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field, giving Texas the series win.
The Rangers appeared to be cruising after building a 6-1 advantage through six innings before the Angels erupted for five runs in the seventh to erase the deficit. Texas, however, answered in the final frame when Langford lined the game-winning hit for his fourth career walk-off and first since his memorable walk-off grand slam against the Yankees last September.
It marked Texas’ third walk-off victory of the season and continued a strong stretch for the club, which has won four of its last six series and seven of its last nine deciding games.
Texas’ offense once again leaned on the long ball. Brandon Nimmo, Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue each homered as the Rangers have gone deep in 18 of their last 20 games, hitting 31 home runs during that span.
Nimmo wasted little time putting Texas on the board, launching a two-out solo homer in the first inning for his ninth home run of the season. Jake Burger followed later in the inning with a two-out RBI single that scored Josh Jung, giving Burger 54 RBIs this season, already surpassing last year’s total.
Duran extended the lead in the third with a two-run blast that barely cleared the glove of Mike Trout in center field. The 419-foot drive was his eighth homer of the season and his fourth over his last 20 games.
Foscue added another run in the fourth with a towering 429-foot solo shot into the Angels’ bullpen before driving in another run with a ground-rule double in the sixth. The infielder finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk while continuing his success against left-handed pitching.
Nathan Eovaldi turned in another dominant outing despite receiving a no-decision. The veteran right-hander struck out a season-high 10 batters over six innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with two walks.
Eovaldi has now recorded at least nine strikeouts in four consecutive starts, joining Nolan Ryan and Yu Darvish as the only pitchers in franchise history to accomplish that feat over four straight outings. He generated 23 swinging strikes while throwing nearly 75 percent of his pitches for strikes.
Los Angeles mounted its comeback in the seventh.
Wade Meckler drove in a run to end Eovaldi’s night before Nolan Schanuel capped a four-hit performance with a two-run single. Pinch-hitter Jo Adell later tied the game with an RBI single, completing the Angels’ five-run inning.
Schanuel reached base in all five plate appearances, finishing 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a walk.
Reid Detmers struggled after entering the game having surrendered just one home run in his previous 18 starts. The left-hander allowed three homers over four innings, giving up five earned runs on seven hits while striking out six.
Texas’ bullpen settled down after the seventh. Jacob Latz provided 1 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts before Langford ended the game in the ninth.
The Rangers improved to 3-3 on their current nine-game homestand and continued their recent success against left-handed starters, winning seven of their last nine such matchups.
The Angels dropped their third consecutive series and fell to 1-8 during that stretch. It was also their seventh walk-off loss of the season, tied for the most in Major League Baseball.
Game Notes
- Wyatt Langford recorded his fourth career walk-off hit in his first game back from the injured list.
- Nathan Eovaldi struck out a season-high 10 batters and has posted four straight starts with at least nine strikeouts.
- Justin Foscue, Brandon Nimmo and Ezequiel Duran each homered for Texas.
- Nolan Schanuel finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a walk for Los Angeles.
- Jake Burger collected his team-leading 54th RBI of the season.
- Texas has homered in 18 of its last 20 games.
