Troy Johnston and Connor Norby hit back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth inning and the Miami Marlins held on to beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Saturday in the second of a three-game interleague series in Arlington, Texas.
The victory was the fifth straight and the ninth in 10 games for the surging Marlins (75-80), who have assured themselves of winning their third consecutive series.
Texas’ loss was its sixth in a row and all but doomed its chances for an American League wild-card spot. The Rangers (79-76) remain 5 1/2 games behind the rival Astros and four games behind the Guardians for the final AL spot in the postseason with seven games to play.
Cade Gibson (4-5), who entered the game in the fifth inning in relief of starter Adam Mazur and worked two hitless innings, earned the win as the second of five Miami hurlers.
Texas didn’t go down without a fight, as Kyle Higashioka homered off Miami closer Calvin Faucher to open the ninth. Faucher also allowed a one-out single to Josh Jung and a walk to Michael Helman before coaxing a flyout by Joc Pederson to end the game and record his 15th save of the season.
Rookie Jack Leiter (9-10) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings to take the loss for Texas.
Miami got the scoring started in the top of the second inning off Leiter. Otto Lopez hit an infield single, stole second and went to third on a groundout to set the table for Johnston’s RBI single to center field and a 1-0 Marlins lead.
Texas answered in the bottom of the third. Ezequiel Duran singled to open the frame and advanced to second on a groundout by Helman. After a walk to Pederson, Alejandro Osuna singled to drive home Duran and push Pederson to third. Pederson then trotted to the plate on a single by Rowdy Tellez that gave the Rangers a 2-1 advantage.
The Marlins knotted the game in the fourth on Eric Wagaman’s sacrifice fly that plated Norby, who had reached on a double and moved to third on a wild pitch by Leiter.
That set the stage for Johnston and Norby’s homers, and the Marlins ended up needing them both to get the win.
