Texas Rangers star Adolis Garcia smacked two homers of different types in the series opener against the Miami Marlins.
Garcia, the American League RBI leader, will aim to inflict more damage on Saturday when the Rangers and Marlins battle in Arlington, Texas.
The right-handed-hitting Garcia went the opposite way with a ball that was barely fair and just cleared the right field wall in the third inning of Texas’ 6-2 win over the Marlins on Friday.
Three innings later, he went more conventional with a 433-foot rocket that sailed over the bullpen in left-center.
“I tried to make adjustments and am working hard on my swing,” Garcia said in a postgame television interview. “I just picked two good pitches and made good swings.”
Garcia has 28 homers — three shy of his career best, set in 2021 — to go with his 88 RBIs. He has helped Texas roll out four straight wins following a slump in which it dropped seven of nine games.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was impressed with the variety of Garcia’s blasts.
“What a game,” Bochy said. “That ball to right field, you’re hoping it stays fair. It did. The second one, he got all of that one. … He’s in a good place with his swing.”
Texas shortstop Corey Seager also went deep on Friday, his second blast in three games since being activated from the 10-day injured list. He hurt his right thumb on July 21.
The Marlins have lost four of their past five games and are just 5-14 since the All-Star break.
“We’re always trying to win. We’re never trying to lose,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “We’re trying to win every single game. To say these guys need a sense of urgency, these guys are playing hard. We’re just not winning right now. Nothing has changed as far as their effort level and preparation.”
Though Josh Bell had an RBI double in the first inning and Jon Berti homered in the second, Miami finished hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“We just couldn’t get any hits. That’s the main thing,” Schumaker said. “We couldn’t get the ball off the ground. It started off good, but a lot of weak contact throughout the game after the second inning.”
The top hitter in the majors, Luis Arraez, went 1-for-4 with a run. His average dropped one point to .376.
Right-hander Jon Gray (6-5, 3.66 ERA) will start the Saturday game for Texas.
Gray is winless in eight starts since winning five straight outings from May 8-June 2. He received no-decisions in each of his last three starts and is 0-4 with a 5.36 ERA since his last win.
The 31-year-old veteran last started on July 24 against the Houston Astros. He gave up six runs and seven hits in five innings. Gray’s ensuing start was skipped to give him time to recover from a left shin injury sustained during a start on July 19.
Gray is 4-3 with a 3.59 ERA in nine career outings against the Marlins.
Miami’s Joey Wendle is hitless in 27 at-bats, but he is 4-for-5 all-time against Gray. Bell is 3-for-6 with a homer vs. Gray.
George Soriano (0-0, 1.98 ERA) was announced after the Friday game as the Marlins’ Saturday starter. It will be his first career start.
The rookie right-hander has made 11 relief appearances this season, throwing three or more innings on six occasions. Schumaker declined to pinpoint an expected pitch count.
Soriano, 24, has allowed just 20 hits in 27 1/3 innings while striking out 26 and walking 10. He has never faced the Rangers.
–Field Level Media
