Corey Seager and Leody Tavares drove in two runs apiece, leading the Texas Rangers to a 5-3 win on Friday night over the Cleveland Guardians, who dropped their third straight as they try to hang onto first place in the AL Central.
Adolis García added an RBI double for Texas, which won for the fourth time in five games.
The Rangers may be too far back to make a playoff push, but the defending World Series champions are talented enough to be spoilers.
Cleveland returned from a 1-5 trip to begin a critical 10-game homestand with a two-game division lead over Kansas City and Minnesota. The Guardians open a four-game series against the Royals on Monday.
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Nathan Eovaldi (9-7) limited the Guardians to three runs and seven hits in six innings. David Robertson walked two in the eighth before striking out Lane Thomas looking — on a pitch that was way off the plate.
Kirby Yates worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save in 24 tries.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (10-6) quickly fell behind 4-0, but the right-hander battled his way through 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and eight hits.
Texas Rangers - World Series Champions
The Rangers scored four runs in the second with two outs against Bibee as Taveras, Texas's No. 9 hitter, dropped a two-run, broken-bat single into right and Seager brought in two with a double.
Down 4-0, the Guardians chipped away by scoring once in the second, third and fourth innings.
García provided Texas with a little cushion in the seventh with his two-out double off rookie reliever Cade Smith.
MAJOR STEP
Never have two innings meant so much to Jacob deGrom and the Rangers.
The right-hander threw 29 pitches in a minor league rehab start for Double-A Frisco on Thursday night, his first game since April 28, 2023, following elbow surgery.
Manager Bruce Bochy was impressed that deGrom, a two-time NL Cy Young winner who has only made six starts since signing a five-year, $185 million contract with Texas in 2023, pitched so effectively, even reaching 100 mph on a strikeout.
“Big day for him and big day for us,” Bochy said. "I don’t care if it was in a minor league game. The juices were going. The adrenaline was going and it was a really, really good outing.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: Bochy said there is obvious concern that three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (right shoulder) had to push back a rehab start at Frisco. The 40-year-old has made just eight starts following back surgery and arm issues. “Man, I hope this thing clears up and he’s back out there,” said Bochy. "I’m disappointed for him. He wants to pitch in the worst way.” Bochy said they'll wait for Scherzer to tell them when he's ready to pitch again.
Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb's broken fingernail has improved and the team remains hopeful he'll return from the injured list when he's eligible on Sept. 1. Cobb has made just two starts with Cleveland, which acquired him from San Francisco at the trade deadline.
NEXT
Guardians RHP Ben Lively (10-8, 3.68) starts the middle game of the series against Rangers RHP Jon Gray (5-4, 3.75).
