Rangers Get Another Walk-Off Win
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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have never had a stretch like this. Same goes for the Los Angeles Angels.
Texas won with a walk-off home run for the third consecutive night, something never before done by the franchise. As one might imagine, the Angels have never lost three straight games in such a fashion.
Adrian Beltre had the honors Wednesday night, drilling a 2-2 offering from Michael Kohn into the seats in left field for a 2-1 victory at Rangers Ballpark.
Beltre’s blast followed game-winning shots from Geovany Soto and Leonys Martin in the first two games of the series. Like Soto and Martin, Beltre was mobbed at the plate after rounding the bases.
“I was looking to put a swing on the ball,” Beltre said of his 23rd homer. “I was lucky to get it out.”
The three-game sweep at Rangers Ballpark could be the kick-start the Rangers need to get back in the American League West race. Texas (59-49) is trailing first-place Oakland by four games.
“It’s overwhelming,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said of series’ dramatics. “We just kept battling. When we’re at our best, this is what you get. Not three walk-off home runs, but different people getting it done.”
Los Angeles (48-58) has lost six in a row and finished the trip 1-6. The Angels were leading the first two games of this series in the late innings.
“We could have been 7-0 on this trip,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “A lot of games were there for us. At times we lost leads and at times we didn’t get things done.”
Josh Hamilton tied the game at 1-1 with a mammoth 422-foot blast to center in the seventh off Martin Perez. Hamilton’s 16th homer was only the third hit of the game for the Angels.
Perez was pulled after 7 1/3 innings, allowing just that one run. It ended a stretch of allowing at least four earned runs in three consecutive starts.
“He had good stuff,” Scioscia said. “He was working both sides of the plate.”
Angels starter Jerome Williams was just as solid, working into the eighth before leaving with two out and two on. Kohn came on and got Ian Kinsler to end the threat.
The Rangers took the early lead on Nelson Cruz’s 25th home run, a solo shot to left off Williams with two outs in the second, but they didn’t help themselves on the bases. Texas had three runners thrown out through three innings.
The Rangers opened their half of the first with consecutive hits. Martin had a bunt single to start it but was thrown out at third by right fielder Collin Cowgill on Elvis Andrus’ bloop single. Andrus was picked off at first on a snap throw by catcher Chris Iannetta.
Iannetta got Soto in the third inning after straying too far from second. The miscues likely cost the Rangers a couple of runs.
