Meibrys Viloria and Marcus Semien drove in runs in Texas’ two-run seventh inning and the Rangers held off the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Thursday night in Arlington, Texas.
The Rangers, who were opening a seven-game homestand, rebounded after dropping three straight games to the Baltimore Orioles. Texas and Chicago kicked off a four-game series.
Jonathan Hernandez pitched a clean ninth inning, including two strikeouts, for his second save. Left-hander Brock Burke (6-2), who came on in relief of Texas starter Cole Ragans, picked up the win.
Johnny Cueto (4-5) took the loss despite logging eight innings, allowing three runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
The Rangers had two players making their major league debuts.
One was Ragans, who gave up just an unearned run on three hits and four walks in five innings. He fanned three. The other was Bubba Thompson, who started in left field and picked up his first hit, a bunt single, in the decisive seventh inning.
The inning began with a single by Adolis Garcia, and after Leody Taveras forced him at second, Ezequiel Duran singled to put runners at first and second.
Viloria then slapped a pinch-hit RBI single to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead, and Semien’s sacrifice fly brought home an insurance run.
The White Sox chipped back to make it a one-run game in the eighth inning on Yoan Moncada’s two-out triple off Matt Moore. The hit drove in Jose Abreu, who had walked.
The Rangers began the scoring in the second inning on Taveras’ RBI single. It brought home Nathaniel Lowe, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double.
The White Sox tied it in the third on Andrew Vaughn’s RBI fielder’s choice grounder to Ragans. On the slow roller, Ragans made a glove flip to catcher Jonah Heim, but Luis Robert scored from third.
Robert started the inning off with a walk and was at second with one out. The run was unearned because of Garcia’s error in right field on a fly ball by Abreu. Garcia hurried to make the catch and lost the grip of the ball. Initially, it was ruled a catch and Garcia dropped the ball on the transfer.
Chicago challenged the call, and the play was overturned, putting runners on the corners. During the commotion, Rangers first base coach Corey Ragsdale was ejected after the call was reversed.
The White Sox lost for just the second time in six games.
