Rookie Walls sparks late surge as Rays beat Rangers 7-1

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rookie Taylor Walls had a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth inning among a season-high three hits, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Texas Rangers 7-1 on Sunday.

The AL-leading Rays trailed 1-0 before scoring three runs in the eighth and four in the ninth to get the series victory in their return to the stadium that hosted their neutral-site World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last fall.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases with nobody out against Texas reliever John King in the eighth when Brandon Lowe reached on the first of two errors by shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Randy Arozarena singled and pinch-hitter Mike Brosseau walked.

After King (5-4) got fellow lefty Austin Meadows to pop out on a 2-0 pitch, right-hander Josh Sborz came in and walked Yandy Díaz to force home the tying run.

Walls followed with a liner to center that was ruled a double because he took second base with nobody covering. The 24-year-old doubled twice and had a single.

Meadows had a two-run single and Díaz connected for his first homer, a two-run shot off left-hander Brett Martin, in the ninth as the Rays avoided their first series loss since dropping two of three to the New York Yankees at home May 11-13.

J.P. Feyereisen (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in a bullpen game after the Rays decided to give Tyler Glasnow extra rest.

The right-hander got 28-year-old rookie slugger Adolis García as a pinch-hitter on a flyout to the warning track with two on to end the Texas eighth with the Rays leading 3-1.

Nate Lowe brought in the only Texas run against his former team with a double-play grounder in the first inning as the Rangers lost their seventh series in the past eight.

Center fielder Kevin Kiermaier kept the Tampa Bay deficit at 1-0 immediately after entering the game in...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Rookie-Walls-sparks-late-surge-as-Rays-beat-16228959.php