Field Level Media
Aug 1, 2023
Mitch Garver and Adolis Garcia homered, Andrew Heaney struck out a season-high 11 batters over six-plus innings and the Texas Rangers opened a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
Heaney (8-6) allowed two hits with no walks for the Rangers, who snapped a three-game skid. Josh Sborz and Aroldis Chapman each pitched a scoreless inning before Will Smith retired the White Sox in order in the ninth for his 18th save.
Chicago was held to three singles and lost for the 10th time in its last 13 games. Jesse Scholtens (1-4) tossed a career-high six innings in his third career start (17th appearance), giving up one run on three hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Garver broke a scoreless tie with a one-out solo homer off Scholtens in the fifth inning. The 411-foot blast was his sixth homer of the season.
Texas added an insurance run with one out in the seventh on Garcia's solo homer off Declan Cronin. Garcia ranks third in the American League with 26 homers and leads the league with 85 RBIs.
The Rangers bounced back for a victory after being swept in three games by the San Diego Padres over the weekend. The AL West leaders have scored a total of six runs in their past four games.
The White Sox struck out 16 times and fell a season-high-matching 22 games under .500. The game was completed in a brisk 1 hour, 58 minutes.
Heaney set the tone early by striking out the side in the first inning. He allowed just one hit in the first six innings and finished with at least 11 strikeouts for the fourth time in his career. His career high is 14.
Heaney was replaced by Sborz after giving up a leadoff single to Yoan Moncada in the seventh inning. Sborz retired the next three batters in order to strand Moncada at first.
Chicago designated hitter Eloy Jimenez went 0-for-3, snapping his nine-game hitting streak.
Marcus Semien had two of Texas' four hits and has reached base safely in nine straight games.
--Field Level Media