09/18/26 10:13:00
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09/18 22:11 CDT Corey Seager's RBI double helps Rangers beat sloppy Blue Jays
7-1 and close gap in playoff race
Corey Seager's RBI double helps Rangers beat sloppy Blue Jays 7-1 and close gap
in playoff race
By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) --- Corey Seager had an RBI double in a four-run second
inning fueled by a throwing error, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue
Jays 7-1 on Friday night in the opener of a series matching AL playoff chasers.
The Rangers (77-77) reached .500 for a majors-leading 23rd time and pulled
within one game of the White Sox for the third and final AL wild-card spot,
although Chicago has the tiebreaker. The defending AL champion Blue Jays
(76-78) are two games back in the wild-card race.
Texas also closed the gap on Houston by pulling even with the Astros atop the
AL West, but the Rangers would have to win the division outright to finish
ahead of their in-state rival. Houston lost to Atlanta 6-2.
The Rangers took the lead in the second on Evan Carter's bases-loaded grounder
that scored Wyatt Langford, and Jake Burger also came home when shortstop Ernie
Clement's throw trying to force him out at third bounced wide of the bag into
foul territory. Seager made it 4-0 with his double.
Dylan Cease (11-6) walked a season-high six among his first 15 batters and was
replaced with two outs in the third after throwing 38 balls and 36 strikes.
Six of the Texas runs were unearned as the Blue Jays walked 10 and had three
throwing errors, two by third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
Trevor Williams (2-0) finished with four scoreless innings after starter Kumar
Rocker took a 4-0 lead into the fifth but couldn't finish and was replaced by
Tyler Alexander.
Toronto's Nathan Lukes had the longest active hitting streak in the majors
stopped at 13 games when he was replaced by pinch-hitter Davis Schneider in the
fifth. Lukes was 0 for 2 with a deep liner that Carter, the center fielder, ran
down at the wall in right center.
Up next
Blue Jays RHP Jos Soriano (12-7, 3.56 ERA) is set to face Texas RHP Cal
Quantrill (9-5, 2.90) on Saturday.
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