PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks scored 4 runs in the fifth inning and 5 more in the sixth on Friday night at Chase Field. Arizona beat the Texas Rangers 9-1 in the opener of a three-game series.
Neither team scored through 4 innings. Texas got its only run in the fifth, when Joc Pederson drove in Jake Burger. The Rangers went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and did not score again.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker met with reporters after the game at Chase Field.
“You’ve got to flush it quickly and try to go about it in a different way tomorrow,” Schumaker said. “Brutal couple of days. There’s no sugarcoating it. But we have a chance to flush it tonight and to win tomorrow. … We still have some games. Time hasn’t run out yet. It only defines you if you allow it, and we’re trying not to make it define us just yet. We have some time, but we’ve got to get going, and it starts tomorrow.”
Left-hander MacKenzie Gore took the loss. He allowed 5 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks over 4 innings, struck out 2, and threw 76 pitches. All 4 of the runs charged to him scored in the fifth.
“I think the fifth inning when we scored a run and had a chance to add on with runners in scoring position, [but] just didn’t add on [was the turning point],” Schumaker said. “They end up responding with a four-run bottom half. I think that just the lack of execution of the couple pitches with Gore ended up costing us. Good hitters make you pay, unfortunately.”
Gore is 8-11 with a 4.62 ERA. His 31 starts are the most in the majors, and he has struck out 172 batters over 161 2/3 innings.
Justin Martínez Strikes Out Three Texas Rangers On Nine Pitches
Right-hander Justin Martínez threw an immaculate inning in the top of the sixth. Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter, and Burger each struck out on 3 pitches. An immaculate inning is one in which a pitcher strikes out all three batters on 9 pitches.
It was the fourth immaculate inning in the majors this season, [according to MLB.com](URL TK). It was Arizona’s second. Michael Soroka threw the other one earlier this year.
Martínez told reporters he knew he was close after the second strikeout and told himself to keep throwing strikes. He has not allowed an earned run in 8 appearances this season, covering 7 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts.
Texas Rangers Bullpen Allows Five Runs In The Sixth Inning
Adam Macko gave up both Arizona home runs in the bottom of the sixth. Corbin Carroll hit a 2-run shot and Nolan Arenado hit a solo homer. Macko retired 1 batter, walked 1, and was charged with 2 earned runs. He has an 8.10 ERA over 6 2/3 innings in 7 appearances.
Chase Silseth worked the rest of the inning. He recorded 2 outs, allowed 2 hits, and was charged with 3 earned runs. Silseth has a 5.28 ERA over 15 1/3 innings in 19 appearances.
Schumaker was asked afterward about the middle innings.
“You’re just trying to stop the bleeding as best you can,” Schumaker said. “You’re trying to match up to give your offense a chance, and we just couldn’t contain them tonight.”
Carroll’s homer was his 20th of the season. He has 21 stolen bases and 16 triples, and MLB.com reported it was the 10th time a player has reached 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 15 triples in the same season. Carroll is the only player with two such seasons.
Carroll returned to the lineup Friday after an MRI on his lower back on Thursday showed no structural issues. He had been out since being scratched Tuesday at the Kansas City Royals. Carroll said the three days off and the training work left him feeling freer at the plate, MLB.com reported. He went 1-for-4 and is hitting .240/.333/.470 with 63 RBIs.
Arenado finished 2-for-4 with a double and is hitting .239/.317/.439 with 24 home runs.
Jakob Junis finished the bottom of the fifth and allowed 2 hits without a run. Junis did not record an out in Thursday’s 4-3 loss at Seattle. Jordan Montgomery pitched the seventh and the eighth, allowed no hits, and struck out 1.
Merrill Kelly Pulled In The Fifth: ‘I Just Don’t Think I’ve Earned It This Year’
Right-hander Merrill Kelly started for Arizona and came out with 1 out in the fifth and Texas ahead 1-0. He allowed 2 hits and 1 run, walked 3, struck out 3, and threw 80 pitches in 4 1/3 innings.
Kevin Ginkel relieved him, recorded the last 2 outs of the inning, and got the win. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he and pitching coach Brian Kaplan had a reliever ready in case the inning got away, MLB.com reported. Three relievers covered the last 4 innings without allowing a run. Dennis Santana worked 2 innings, allowed 2 hits, and struck out 2. Taylor Clarke pitched 1 inning and allowed 1 hit.
Kelly told MLB.com he did not object to the early hook, saying, “I just don’t think I’ve earned it this year.” He said he was confident in the bullpen behind him.
Kelly is 9-13 with a 4.97 ERA. Texas acquired him from the Diamondbacks at the 2025 trade deadline, and he went 3-3 with a 4.23 ERA in 10 starts for the Rangers before returning to Arizona on a two-year, $40 million contract. He pitched 7 innings and allowed 3 hits and 1 run in Game 2 of the 2023 World Series at Globe Life Field.
Ketel Marte went 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and drove in 3 runs. He scored twice. Gabriel Moreno went 2-for-5 and drove in 2 runs. Ildemaro Vargas went 2-for-5 with a double and 1 RBI.
Arizona finished with 11 hits, 7 of them for extra bases. The Diamondbacks went 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Texas finished with 5 hits. Pederson had 2 of them, including a double. Langford, Danny Jansen, and Logan O’Hoppe had the others. The Rangers drew 4 walks and struck out 8 times. Nicky Lopez, Carter, Corey Seager, and Ezequiel Duran each went 0-for-4. Brandon Nimmo went 0-for-4 and walked twice.
Skip Schumaker On Texas Rangers Roster Decisions Before Friday’s Game
Speaking to reporters before first pitch Friday, Schumaker was asked about Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
“I think the reality is, you look internally as far as, ‘Did I push the right button and am I doing the right thing?'” Schumaker said. “You always look inside out and I’m trying to make sure that I’m putting guys in the best situation to succeed. … [We] have some pieces there. There’s a couple guys that are coming off injury too and what is that going to look like. I think there’s some guys that you can definitely lean on. I feel I still feel good with a lot of our guys. It’s just now, ‘Am I pulling and pushing the right button?’ That’s what keeps me up at night.”
Texas dropped to 72-76 and is 3 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West. The Rangers are also 3 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third American League wild card and 1 game behind the Toronto Blue Jays. Houston and Cleveland are both 75-73. Baseball-Reference lists the Rangers’ postseason odds at 10.0%.
The Rangers have lost 3 in a row and 5 of their past 7 games. They are 32-44 on the road and have not won a road series since a trip through Toronto and Cleveland that ended July 1. Texas has scored 611 runs and allowed 660 this season.
Arizona improved to 79-69 and remains a half game behind the San Diego Padres for the third National League wild card. San Diego beat the San Francisco Giants on Friday. The Diamondbacks and Padres close the regular season against each other in a three-game series. Friday opened a nine-game homestand for Arizona.
Right-hander Kumar Rocker is scheduled to start Saturday for Texas after being listed as Friday’s starter. Arizona counters with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Rocker is 5-11 with a 4.61 ERA over 134 2/3 innings. Pfaadt is 7-2 with a 3.53 ERA over 117 1/3 innings. First pitch at Chase Field is 7:10 p.m. CT.
Sunday’s finale is set for 3:10 p.m. CT, with left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez scheduled for Arizona. Rodríguez is 15-5 with a 2.55 ERA. Texas returns home Tuesday to open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox, who are 80-68 and hold the second American League wild card.
