ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jake Burger hit a two-run home run and a go-ahead single to lead the Texas Rangers past the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Friday night in the opener of a four-game series between the top two teams in the AL West.
With the win, the Rangers improved to 52-51 and increased their divisional lead to 1 1/2 games ahead of the 51-53 Mariners.
Burger’s fourth-inning homer off Bryce Miller (4-5) tied the score at 3-3. In the sixth, Burger hit the first pitch from Eduard Bazardo up the middle to score Brandon Nimmo and put Texas ahead 4-3.
Nicky Lopez then bunted in front of the plate with runners on the corners. Bazardo fielded the ball bare handed and tossed underhand high off the glove of catcher Cal Raleigh allowing Evan Carter to score.
Peyton Gray (5-0) pitched a scoreless sixth inning and Jacob Latz allowed a run in the ninth but earned his 20th save in 22 opportunities.
Burger was hitting .150 in July before his home run barely cleared the right field wall. He has 18 homers and 64 RBIs to lead the club in both categories.
Wyatt Langford gave Texas a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a home run to left field one pitch after fouling a ball off his left foot and limping out of the batter’s box.
Weston Wilson’s two-out, opposite-field single to right tied the score 1-1 in the second.
Dominic Canzone’s opposite-field, two-run double to left center in the fifth tied the score 3-3.
Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore, pitching on five days’ rest, allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings.
Miller was charged with five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Texas’ Joc Pederson had his 1,000th career hit.
Seattle’s Cole Young matched a career best with three hits.
Up next
Mariners RHP Bryan Woo (7-6, 4.16 ERA) will face Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (9-8, 4.21) on Saturday.
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