CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Seager and Leody Tavares drove in two runs apiece, leading the Texas Rangers to a 5-3 win on Friday night over the Cleveland Guardians, who dropped their third straight and had their lead in the AL Central cut to one game.
Adolis García added an RBI double for Texas, which won for the fourth time in five games.
The Rangers may be too far back to make a playoff push, but the defending World Series champions are talented enough to be spoilers.
“We haven’t really been playing comfortable all season,” said Nathan Eovaldi (9-7), who held the Guardians to three runs in six innings. “Regardless of where we are in the standings, it’s go out there and win.
“We know what we’re capable of doing, we’ve just got to go out there and do it.”
Cleveland returned from a 1-5 trip to begin a critical 10-game homestand. With Kansas City’s win over Philadelphia, the Guardians’ lead is down to one — the closest the division has been since May 13.
The Guardians open a four-game series against the Royals on Monday.
Cleveland’s first-year manager Stephen Vogt has preached to his players about sticking to their routine. At this point, he doesn’t feel any need to tell them anything different.
“I’ll know when it’s the right time,” he said. “We’re not there yet. I thought we showed a lot of signs tonight of being ourselves. They scored more runs than we did.”
Eovaldi was lifted after throwing a season-high 106 pitches and Rangers manager Bruce Bochy went to his bullpen. David Robertson walked two in the eighth before striking out Lane Thomas looking — on a pitch that was way off the plate.
The strikeout was Robertson’s 1,135th, tying the 39-year-old with Hall of Famer and former New York Yankees teammate Mariano Rivera for 12th most for a reliever in history.
“He’s been our fireman,” Bochy said. “He stops rallies. We’ve used him two innings at times. He’s just a pro. He’s got great stuff and he’s going to pitch for a while – as long as he wants. We’re lucky to have him.”
Kirby Yates worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save in 24 tries.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (10-6) quicky fell behind 4-0, but the right-hander battled his way through 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and eight hits.
The Rangers scored four in the second — with two outs — as Taveras, Texas’s No. 9 hitter, dropped a two-run, broken-bat single into right and Seager brought in two with a double.
Down 4-0, the Guardians chipped away by scoring once in the second, third and fourth innings.
García provided Texas with a little cushion in the seventh with his two-out double off rookie reliever Cade Smith.
MAJOR STEP
Never have two innings meant so much to Jacob deGrom and the Rangers.
The right-hander threw 29 pitches in a minor league rehab start for Double-A Frisco on Thursday night, his first game since April 28, 2023 following elbow surgery.
Bochy was impressed deGrom, a two-time NL Cy Young winner who has only made six starts since signing a five-year, $185 million contract with Texas in 2023, pitched so effectively, even reaching 100 mph on a strikeout.
“Big day for him and big day for us,” Bochy said. “I don’t care if it was in a minor league game. The juices were going. The adrenaline was going and it was a really, really good outing.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: Bochy said there is obvious concern that three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (right shoulder) had to push back a rehab start at Frisco. The 40-year-old has made just eight starts following back surgery and arm issues. “Man, I hope this thing clears up and he’s back out there,” said Bochy. “I’m disappointed for him. He wants to pitch in the worst way.” Bochy said they’ll wait for Scherzer to tell them when he’s ready to pitch again.
Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb’s broken finger nail has improved and the team remains hopeful he’ll return from the injured list when he’s eligible on Sept. 1. Cobb has made just two starts with Cleveland, which acquired him from San Francisco at the trade deadline.
NEXT
Guardians RHP Ben Lively (10-8, 3.68) starts the middle game of the series against Rangers RHP Jon Gray (5-4, 3.75).
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