All-Star Jonah Hamm hit a game-sealing home run, the bullpen stepped up after John Gray left early due to injury, and Texas Rangers won 5-1 over tampa bay rays to complete a three-game sweep on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas
American League Pre-Leader rays Was swept for only the second time this season. Both sweeps came in July when the visiting Phillies swept rays July 4-6
AL West-leading rangers Has started 6-0 after the All-Star break
Texas took a 1–0 lead in the third when nine-hole batter Leody Taveras led off the inning with a home run to right after he turned on the first pitch splitter. rays starter Jack Littell (0-2)
rangers Taveras extended their lead to 2–0 with an RBI single in the seventh. rays reliever Calvin Faucher
Heim came up with the knockout punch with a three-run shot in the eighth. rays reliever Kevin Kelly. Heim sent a 2-1 cutter into the right-field seats for his 14th home run of the year.
Tampa Bay’s offense struggled to get timely hits. He scored his only run in the ninth off a single off Jose Siri rangers Reliever Cody Bradford was 0-4-4 with runners in scoring position.
Gray’s debut was short when he hit 112 mph on his left foot in the fifth inning. rangers announced that Gray had hurt his shin and X-rays were negative
Gray scattered eight hits with four strikeouts over 4 1/3 scoreless innings before being hit by a returner. rays Leadoff man Yandy Diaz. rangers Reliever Brock Burke replaced Gray and threw two scoreless innings.
One out in the seventh, after Burke (4-2) struck out with one on. rangers Turned to right-hander Alex Spice. Spies, who was making his major league debut, came up with a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play to end the inning. He struck out pinch-hitter Vander Franco, while Heim struck out Manuel Margot trying to steal second.
Spies worked a 1-2-3 eighth, and Bradford worked the ninth.
–Field Level Media