García's 3-run homer in 8th sends Rangers past Angels 7-4

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — When Adolis García came up in the eighth with two runners on and the Rangers down two runs, Texas manager Chris Woodward leaned over to his coaches.

“I said, ‘It’s a pretty easy way to become an instant fan favorite if he hits a home run right here,’" Woodward recalled with a big grin. "And he hit a home run on the next pitch.”

It's still early in the flowering of García's big league career, but the Rangers already think they've got something special in the Cuban slugger who propelled them to yet another dramatic win in Anaheim.

García hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Texas Rangers rallied from a late two-run deficit for a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

García has only been up in the majors for a little over a week, but he’s already putting together an incredible collection of big hits in key situations. The 28-year-old designated hitter has five extra-base hits in the last eight games, including the first three homers of his major league career — all of them in clutch situations.

His 411-foot homer off Mike Mayers (1-1), punctuated by a bat flip and a joyous run to first, tops his impressive list of accomplishments during his first significant big league action since 2018.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” García said through a translator. “Coming off the bat, I knew. It’s uncontrollable to feel that when I knew it would put us ahead. ... I’m just trying to live my dream and enjoy it. As long as it goes, that’s all I’m really thinking about.”

García defected in 2016, and he never really got a sustained chance in the majors during three seasons with St. Louis. After getting his shot with Texas this month, he has joined Jurickson Profar and Billy Sample as the...

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