ARLINGTON, Texas — Jake Burger delivered two go-ahead hits, Wyatt Langford reached a career milestone and the Texas Rangers held off the Seattle Mariners 5-4 Friday night at Globe Life Field.
According to postgame notes from the Rangers, Texas improved to 52-51 and moved 1½ games ahead of Seattle in the American League West. The Rangers are 5-2 against the Mariners this season, including 4-0 at Globe Life Field.
Wyatt Langford hit a blast in the first inning to get things started
Langford put Texas ahead in the first inning with a solo home run off Seattle starter Bryce Miller. The 384-foot shot was Langford’s 12th homer of the season and the 50th of his major league career. The Rangers said Langford has hit 10 of his 12 home runs since June 14.
Seattle tied the game in the second before Burger gave Texas a 3-1 advantage with a two-run homer in the fourth. It was Burger’s team-leading 18th home run of the season.
The Mariners responded in the fifth when Dominic Canzone hit a two-run double to tie the game at 3.
Burger came through again in the sixth, driving in the go-ahead run with a single. Nicky Lopez followed with a sacrifice bunt that brought home another run and gave Texas a 5-3 lead. According to the Rangers, Burger became the team’s first player this season to record multiple go-ahead hits in the same game.
Texas starter MacKenzie Gore received a no-decision after allowing three earned runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked two while throwing 96 pitches.
Peyton Gray earned the victory to improve to 5-0. Jacob Latz recorded his 20th save, becoming the first Rangers left-hander to reach 20 saves in a season since Will Smith had 22 in 2023.
Seattle made it 5-4 in the ninth when Colt Emerson scored on a wild pitch, but the Mariners could not complete the comeback.
Miller took the loss and fell to 4-5 after allowing five earned runs on six hits over 5⅓ innings. He did not record a strikeout, which the Rangers said marked the first zero-strikeout appearance of his major league career.
Joc Pederson also reached a milestone for Texas, collecting his 1,000th career major league hit with a fifth-inning single.
The Rangers improved to 19-10 in one-run games and 40-12 when scoring first this season.
Friday’s game drew 33,478 fans and lasted 2 hours, 47 minutes.