Jose Soriano threw 7 2/3 effective innings for the Los Angeles Angels, who scored four times in the seventh to post a 4-1 win against the Texas Rangers on Sunday at Arlington, Texas.
It’s the Angels’ third win in the past four games and only their third series win of the season.
Soriano (2-4) allowed one run on five hits and walked two and struck out five. Luis Garcia pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 innings for his second save.
Rangers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (2-3) allowed two runs on three hits and struck out six in 6 1/3 innings.
Corey Seager hit his sixth homer of the season for Texas.
Los Angeles struggled early with runners in scoring position but finally connected in the seventh inning. Willie Calhoun led off with a double to center field and Jo Adell followed with a walk. After Matt Thaiss struck out, Texas brought in relief pitcher Jonathan Hernandez, who walked Zach Neto to load the bases.
Mickey Moniak then hit a bloop single to left field, scoring Calhoun to tie it 1-1.
Kevin Pillar followed up with a pinch-hit single to center field, driving home Adell and Neto for a 3-1 lead. Pillar made it 4-1 when Luis Rengifo knocked a triple to center.
Texas threatened in the eighth. After a pair of groundouts to lead off the inning, Corey Seager walked and Nathaniel Lowe singled to right field, spelling the end of Soriano. Josh Smith then greeted Garcia with a single on a fly ball to left field to load the bases, but Jonah Heim flew out to center to end the inning.
The Rangers struggled to get on base through the first three innings, going out in order each time.
Seager made their first hit of the afternoon count in the fourth, belting a one-out solo shot into the right field stands to put Texas ahead 1-0. The shortstop went 1-for-2 on the day, with two walks.
The hosts had a chance to add to it in the sixth. Marcus Semien hit a one-out double down the right field line and then the Angels intentionally walked Seager, giving the Rangers runners on first and second. But Lowe flew out to left field and Smith struck out swinging to end the inning to strand the runners.
–Field Level Media