Rangers stage 2 big rallies, win series vs. Yanks

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers have a long way to go before they can start salvaging their season, but victories like this give them the bravado and the confidence that it can be done.
The Rangers had to come back from two sizable deficits, but they were able to pull out a 12-10 victory over the Yankees on Wednesday night at Globe Life Park. The dual rallies allowed the Rangers to win their second straight and take the three-game series. The Yankees had won eight consecutive series before losing two of three to the Rangers.
"We talked about building confidence, just playing a solid baseball game, put ourselves in a position to win a baseball game," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "I didn't know it was going to be the variety of game it was, but I've got to believe that there's a number of guys in that clubhouse that gained a lot of confidence tonight. In Shin-Soo Choo's words, it was one of the more exciting games he's been in. When you take that from a veteran ... look, a lot of things in that game were special today."

The Rangers, trailing 4-0, didn't get their first hit off Yankees starter CC Sabathia until the fourth inning. But Nomar Mazara hit a two-run home run, and Ronald Guzmán had a three-run shot in the frame to give the Rangers a 5-4 lead.
The Yankees responded with six runs in the fifth to go ahead, 10-5, but the Rangers didn't stop. Isiah Kiner-Falefa's triple led to two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and Jurickson Profar put the Rangers ahead in the sixth with a three-run double off of reliever David Robertson. Banister said walks by Choo and Kiner-Falefa before Profar's double were as big as anything.

"We believe we have a great team," Profar said. "We haven't showed it yet, but I still believe we have a great team. To show it tonight will do a lot for our confidence. We know we can do it. The Yankees are the best team. Our team seems to play good against good teams. We need to do it with every team."

This is the first time the Rangers have won a game despite their pitchers allowing at least 10 runs since a 13-11 victory over the White Sox on May 10, 2016. It was just their fifth such win since the beginning of the 2010 season.
"We kept moving the lineup with a lot of great at-bats," Mazara said. "That's how we need to play. Whether we are leading or not, we have to have the same mentality and try to create something every inning. It doesn't matter what the score is."
Rangers starter Doug Fister allowed eight runs (six earned) in 4 1/3 innings. But the late-inning relief combination of Alex Claudio, José Leclerc, Chris Martin and Keone Kela gave the Rangers three scoreless innings after Profar put them ahead. Kela struck out the side in the ninth and is now 10-for-10 in save chances as the Rangers' closer.

"It shows the fight in the dog," Fister said. "The guys were fighting and clawing from the first pitch, and we had some things fall our way. It's not by chance or luck, guys worked really hard and came through. It's a huge win for us."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Rangers, leading 11-10, picked up a nice insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Delino DeShields struck out against reliever Dellin Betances, but the third strike got away from catcher Austin Romine, allowing him to reach base. DeShields went to second on a wild pickoff throw and, after Choo struck out, he stole third base. Kiner-Falefa then drove him home with a single.
"To have a guy like Delino, to hit when he is on base, it's awesome," Kiner-Falefa said. "He makes things happen."

SOUND SMART
There were 19 home runs in the three-game series between the Rangers and the Yankees. That matches the most in a three-game series at Globe Life Park. The other was 13 by the Rangers and six by the Indians on Aug. 1-3, 2003.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Mazara's home run had an exit velocity of 110.6 mph and a projected distance of 404 feet. Mazara has 11 home runs this season, and seven have had an exit velocity of 110 mph or greater. That passes Joey Gallo for the most in the Major Leagues. The Rangers have 16 overall, the second most in the Majors behind the Yankees, who have 21.

HE SAID IT
"Tough night tonight. Sometimes my aggressiveness works against me. Make a bad pitch and they make you pay for it. That's a good club over there, to say the least. I made a couple bad pitches, and they got hit out. I need to take care of that, but overall the emphasis is on the team win, and that's what I take out of it." -- Fister
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Yankees picked up a crucial baserunner in the eighth, when home-plate umpire Nic Lentz ruled Giancarlo Stanton was clipped by a pitch from Martin. The Rangers challenged the call, but it stood after review. Stanton then advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Martin retired Aaron Hicks and Neil Walker on fly balls to end the threat.

UP NEXT
Austin Bibens-Dirkx is being called up from Triple-A Round Rock to pitch in the opener of a four-game series against the Royals at 7:05 p.m. CT on Thursday at Globe Life Park. Bibens-Dirkx was 2-3 with a 3.72 ERA in eight games at Round Rock, and went 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last four starts. Bibens-Dirkx pitched in 24 games for the Rangers last season but did not face the Royals. He will be opposed by left-hander Danny Duffy.