ARLINGTON -- There’s no getting around it; this weekend’s four-game set against the Mariners is the most important of the Rangers’ season to date.
The top two teams in the American League West faced off in Arlington to open the series on Friday night, both knowing what was at stake. The Rangers beat the Mariners, 5-4, thanks to offensive perseverance and some Burger bombs.
The Rangers took the lead in the first inning with a solo homer from Wyatt Langford and again with a two-run shot from Jake Burger.
Both times, though, MacKenzie Gore failed to put together a shutdown inning, allowing the Mariners right back into the game.
But Burger played hero once again, this time in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Brandon Nimmo singled and Evan Carter walked. Burger, coming to the plate with one out, sent a chopper up the middle that scored Nimmo from second as the go-ahead run.
It was his team-leading 18th home run and 64th RBI.