Rookie third baseman Josh Jung enjoyed a career night on Tuesday, belting two homers and driving in all five runs for the Texas Rangers in a 5-0 road victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Jung, considered the Rangers’ top prospect when he was promoted to the majors this month, celebrated his first multi-homer game. He now has five home runs through 17 games, and the five RBIs also were a personal best.
Even with the loss, the Mariners (83-69) maintained their 3 1/2-game lead over the Orioles (80-74) in the race for the third and final American League wild-card spot. Baltimore lost 13-9 to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.
Seattle starter Robbie Ray (12-11) gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks.
Texas (66-87) went with a bullpen game, starting reliever Jesus Tinoco, who threw two scoreless innings. He gave way to Tyson Miller (1-1), who logged 3 2/3 scoreless innings and was credited with his first major league win.
Dennis Santana, Matt Moore, Jonathan Hernandez and Jose Leclerc completed the five-hit shutout.
The Rangers struck for a run in the second inning on Jung’s no-doubt home run to the upper deck in left field.
Jung came through again with an RBI single in the sixth inning, giving Texas a two-run advantage. Marcus Semien and Nathaniel Lowe singled, and with two outs, Jung’s single to right brought home Semien.
Ray, who had been in control through five innings, didn’t make it through the sixth. The left-hander exited with the bases loaded and two outs, having thrown 104 pitches. Texas was not able to do further damage, though, as Penn Murfee retired Leody Taveras on a ground ball to second.
In the eighth inning, Rangers shortstop Corey Seager was plunked on his left arm by a Matthew Boyd pitch. Seager was tended to by the training staff, and after initially staying in the game, he was replaced by pinch runner Josh H. Smith following a one-out intentional walk to Adolis Garcia.
Diego Castillo replaced Boyd on the mound, and Jung greeted the new pitcher with a three-run homer to center.
–Field Level Media
