Corey Seager homered for the seventh time in seven games, and Adolis Garcia’s spectacular throw ended a comeback attempt as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.
Seager, the World Series MVP when the Rangers beat the Diamondbacks in five games last October, hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit. It was his 12th home run this season.
Given the lead, Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney got into difficulty early in the sixth. He gave up a walk and two singles to load the bases with one out before being replaced by righty Grant Anderson.
Eugenio Suarez crushed Anderson’s opening pitch to medium-deep right field, and Garcia’s fly ball strike to the plate tagged Joc Pederson for an inning-ending double play. The initial call was safe because Pederson looked to beat the throw, but replays revealed that his lead leg went over the plate, and catcher Jonah Heim made the tag before the second leg touched the plate.
David Robertson of the Rangers pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, but Kirby Yates had to avoid a bullet in the ninth. With two outs, Suarez walked and Gabriel Moreno reached on an infield single, but Yates struck out Kevin Newman to complete his eighth save in eight chances.
Heaney (1-6), a traditional starter, replaced Nathan Eovaldi, who worked the first three innings in his return from a groin strain.
Eovaldi, who had not made a rehab appearance, was removed after 37 pitches. He allowed two runs on five hits, with no walks and two strikeouts. Heaney, who worked two perfect innings before getting into a sixth-inning jam, allowed two hits and a walk over 2 1/3 innings.
Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt (2-4), who lost Game 3 of the World Series, struggled to hold on to a 2-0 lead in the second inning.