ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers are back on top of the American League West.
Texas defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Saturday night at Globe Life Field, moving into sole possession of first place in the division and climbing above .500 for the first time since Aug. 10. The Rangers improved to 78-77 and moved one game ahead of the Houston Astros with seven games remaining in the regular season.
The Rangers have won six of their last seven games, continuing a late-season push that has put them back into the postseason conversation.
The victory also continued Texas’ strong play at home. The Rangers are 16-7 over their last 23 games at Globe Life Field and have gone unbeaten in their last nine home series.
The game took an unexpected turn early when starter Cal Quantrill left after just 1⅓ innings with right lat tightness. Quantrill retired all four batters he faced and threw only 12 pitches before departing.
Texas’ bullpen responded by covering the final 7⅔ innings while allowing just two runs.
Jordan Montgomery entered in the second inning and delivered one of his best relief appearances of the season. He retired 11 of the 12 batters he faced and worked 3⅔ scoreless innings to earn the victory. It was his longest scoreless outing of the season.
Josh Jung gave the Rangers an early lead with a solo home run in the first inning, his second homer in three games. Eight of Jung’s 11 home runs this season have gone to the opposite field.
Texas then took advantage of Toronto mistakes in the second inning. The Rangers scored twice without recording a hit, with a hit-by-pitch, throwing error and wild pitch helping extend the lead to 3-0.
Wyatt Langford added to the advantage in the sixth inning with an RBI double that chased Toronto starter José Soriano from the game.
Langford reached base three times, finishing with a double, two walks and an RBI. He has continued to show a patient approach at the plate, drawing 26 walks since Aug. 23.
Danny Jansen also continued his strong stretch since returning from the injured list. His fifth-inning double extended his hitting streak to eight games, matching the longest hitting streak of his career. Jansen is batting .455 during the streak.
Evan Carter contributed without recording a hit, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly. Carter has now recorded an RBI in three consecutive games despite going hitless in each.
Toronto finally got on the board in the sixth when Alejandro Kirk delivered an RBI single. Davis Schneider added a solo homer in the seventh, but the Blue Jays couldn’t generate any further offense against the Rangers’ bullpen.
Soriano took the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on four hits in five innings. He struck out eight but struggled with command and defense behind him as Texas built its early advantage.
The loss dropped Toronto to 76-79 and left the Blue Jays three games behind the Chicago White Sox for the American League’s final wild-card position. Toronto has now lost six consecutive games to Texas this season.
For the Rangers, Saturday’s victory was about more than another win. Texas has spent much of the season chasing in the AL West, but with the calendar approaching October, the Rangers have moved into the division’s top spot with their postseason hopes very much alive.
