Texas Rangers vs Atlanta Braves Match Player Stats On Sep 04, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 4, 2017

ATLANTA -- Texas Rangers manager Jeff Bannister said he didn't mind having to play in a National League ballpark in the middle of a race for American League wild-card spot, and there is a good reason for that.

Texas can slug with anyone even without the designated hitter, proving that again in an 8-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night that improved the Rangers' interleague record to 13-5.

Elvis Andrus, Nomar Mazara and Rougned Odor smashed home runs, giving the Rangers (69-68) a major-league-best 215. Texas pulled within two games of the Minnesota Twins in the race for the second AL wild card.

Carlos Gomez had three hits, including two doubles, and Odor drove in three runs, adding a double to his homer. Seven of the Rangers' 11 hits were for extra bases, with Joey Gallo getting a triple.

Andrew Cashner (9-9) won for the sixth time in his past eight decisions, surrendering just a two-run homer to Matt Adams over six innings. He also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

The right-hander gave up six hits, walked two and struck out five, leaving after throwing 101 pitches and lowering his ERA to 3.29.

R.A. Dickey (9-9) gave up two of the Texas homers and needed 96 pitches to labor through 4 1/3 innings for the Braves (60-76).

The 42-year-old knuckleballer was charged with seven runs (six earned) on eight hits while walking three and striking out three.

Andrus, who came in 1-for-17 against Dickey, hit his 19th home and third in two days two batters into the game. The Rangers then scored twice in both the second and third innings to take an early 5-0 lead.

The first run in the second was the result of sacrifice fly by Cashner, who became the first Texas pitcher ever to get a RBI that way, and the other was the result of a passed ball. Gallo had an RBI triple and Odor delivered a sacrifice fly in the third.

Adams belted his 20th homer with a man on for the Braves in the fourth, but the Rangers got homers from Mazara and Odor in the fifth to make it 8-2.

Mazara's 17th blast came off Dickey, and Odor connected with a runner on off reliever Matt Wisler for his 28th homer.

NOTES: The teams hadn't played since 2014. The Rangers made their first trip to Atlanta since 2011. ... Players from the Braves and Rangers were outside the main entrance to SunTrust Park accepting donations for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. ... The Rangers recalled OF Jared Hoying and Triple-A Round Rock and LHP Yohander Mendez from Double-A Frisco. ... Neither SS/2B Jurickson Profar, once the Rangers' top prospect, nor OF/2B Willie Calhoun, acquired in the Yu Darvish trade, was promoted with the end of the minor league season. ... The Braves activated 3B Adonis Garcia (finger surgery) from the disabled list and recalled OF/INF Micah Johnson from Triple-A Gwinnett. ... RHP Miguel Gonzalez (7-10, 4.31 ERA) will start Tuesday's middle game of the series in his Rangers debut after being acquired from the Chicago White Sox. ... RHP Julio Teheran (9-11, 4.75 ERA) will start for the Braves.