Oct. 9 (UPI) — The Texas Rangers overcame an early deficit and used a Mitch Garver grand slam to hold off the Baltimore Orioles and take a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series in Baltimore.
The 11-8 win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards led off Sunday’s slate of Game 2s. The Minnesota Twins also earned a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros to tie that series at 1-1 on Sunday in Houston.
“I think it’s just a big momentum push for our whole team,” Garver told reporters, when asked about his grand slam. “And we needed all those runs.”
Right fielder Aaron Hicks drew first blood for the Orioles when he hit a two-run single off Rangers starter Jordan Montgomery in the bottom of the first. The Rangers answered with five runs in the top of the second and never trailed again.
Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez walked first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to start the inning. Third baseman Josh Jung followed with a single. Center fielder Leody Tavares doubled to left field in the next exchange, plating Lowe and Jung to tie the score at 2-2.
Garver, right fielder Adolis Garcia and catcher Jonah Heim all recorded RBI singles in the same inning to push the Rangers edge to three runs.
The Rangers increased their lead even more in the third. Orioles relief pitcher Bryan Baker forced Jung to fly out in his first exchange. He then issued three-consecutive walks, loading the bases for Garver.
The Rangers designated hitter first took a sweeper for a called strike. Baker missed the strike zone with his next three offerings. Garver hit the fifth pitch of that exchange to left field for a 419-foot homer.
“It was big at that point in the game,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of the grand slam. “Really it was the difference in the game.”
The Orioles answered with two runs in the fourth, but the Rangers scored their 10th run in the top of the fifth. Third baseman Gunnar Henderson responded with a solo homer in the bottom of that inning, but the Orioles didn’t score again until the bottom of the ninth.
Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien brought in the first run of the inning with an RBI groundout. Hicks plated the game’s final runs with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.
Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc then retired the final two hitters of the night to secure the victory.
Garver went 2 for 6 with five RBIs and two runs scored in the victory. Jung, Garcia and Semien logged two hits apiece. Taveras went 1 for 3 with two RBIs, two walks and three runs scored.
Shortstop Corey Seager did not log a hit, but drew a divisional-round record five walks.
Montgomery allowed nine hits and five runs over four innings, but was not on record for a decision. Rodriguez allowed six hits and five runs in 1 2/3 innings in the loss.
Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo went 4 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Hicks was 2 for 5 with five RBIs and a run scored. Left fielder Austin Hays went 3 for 4 in the loss.
The Rangers (2-0) will host the Orioles (0-2) in Game 3 of the best-of-five series at 8:03 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
Later Sunday, Twins starter Pablo Lopez turned in a terrific pitching effort to spark a 6-2 triumph over the Astros in Houston.
The right-hander allowed six hits and no runs over seven innings. Star shortstop Carlos Correa went 3 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs against his former team. Third baseman Kyler Farmer hit a two-run homer in the victory.
Astros starter Framber Valdez allowed seven hits and five runs over 4 1/3 innings.
The Twins (1-1) will host the Astros (1-1) in Game 3 at 4:07 p.m. Tuesday at Target Field in Minneapolis.
Four teams will be in action again as part of Monday’s postseason schedule. The Atlanta Braves (0-1) will host the Philadelphia Phillies (1-0) in Game 2 of the first National League Division Series matchup. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. in Atlanta.
The Los Angeles Dodgers (0-1) will host the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0) in another Game 2 at 9:07 p.m. in Los Angeles.
