Wander Franco ripped a three-run homer and Shane McClanahan became the first pitcher in the majors to reach 10 wins as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Franco went 2-for-4 while Harold Ramirez added three hits for the Rays, who have won eight of their last nine.
McClanahan (10-1) recorded his 10th quality start of the season by allowing three runs on four hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out five.
After Texas pulled within 4-3 in the third, Franco gave the Rays some breathing room an inning later with his eighth home run of the season and first since May 9. The Rangers never seriously threatened the rest of the way en route to their third loss in the last four games.
Texas struck for all three of its runs in the third, getting a solo shot from Robbie Grossman before Marcus Semien added an RBI double and Corey Seager followed with a run-scoring single.
But McClanahan settled down from there, tossing four perfect frames to close his outing.
Colin Poche pitched a 1-2-3 eighth to set the stage for Jason Adam, who issued two walks and surrendered Josh Jung’s double as the Rangers loaded the bases in the ninth.
However, Adam escaped unscathed, getting Ezequiel Duran to ground into a game-ending double play.
Grossman, Semien and Jung provided the only extra-base hits for the Rangers, who also got a single from Nathaniel Lowe in addition to Seager’s to account for their five total hits.
Texas starter Martin Perez (6-2) was shelled for seven runs on a season-high 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked three and fanned two.
Tampa Bay wasted little time jumping out in front, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After the Rays loaded the bases before recording an out, Randy Arozarena lined a run-scoring single to right and Isaac Paredes followed with an RBI fielder’s choice.
An inning later, Taylor Walls pulled an RBI double down the third base line and eventually scored on Ramirez’s single to extend Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-0.
–Field Level Media
