LOS ANGELES – The Texas Rangers thought it was quite appropriate to end their epic road losing streak with one of their most impressive victories of the season.
These rebuilding Rangers are all about new beginnings, and they got a big one at Dodger Stadium during their first road victory since May 6.
Recommended Videos
“We’ve got a new streak,” Texas manager Chris Woodward said. “We’re hoping to build off that one.”
Jonah Heim and Nate Lowe had two-run homers among their three hits apiece, and the Rangers emphatically snapped their 16-game road losing skid with a 12-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.
Jason Martin hit his first major league homer and Willie Calhoun had an RBI triple for the Rangers, who were mired in a slump outside of Arlington that spanned six ballparks and matched the longest road losing streak in franchise history, set by the expansion Washington Senators in 1961.
It was also the AL's longest road losing streak since 2010, and the longest within a single season since 1970.
“It’s huge,” said Heim, who also doubled and singled to end his 0-for-13 slump. “Whenever you can get in the win column in the big leagues, it’s always a good day. We’re just excited we played a full team game today.”
Kolby Allard pitched five scoreless innings of five-hit ball for last-place Texas, which improbably dominated the defending World Series champions and won for just the third time in 16 games overall — one night after taking a 12-1 loss of its own at Chavez Ravine.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to 10 games with three hits and also stole three bases for the Rangers, who had scored only 18 runs in their previous eight road games.
Texas battered NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer (6-5) for nine hits and six runs — both season highs for the Dodgers' new starter.
“I was a little bit shaky early on, fighting my command a little bit, and then I think I actually threw the ball pretty well,” Bauer said. “As the season goes on, you’re going to have outings like this. Things aren’t always going to go your way.”
Bauer struck out eight and got his first hit for the Dodgers, but also took his first back-to-back losses of the season. He yielded two unearned runs in the third on a rally that started with Mookie Betts dropping a fly ball in center. Heim then homered off Bauer in the fourth.
“I’m not concerned about it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Bauer's recent suboptimal performances. “I think it just comes down to making pitches.”
AJ Pollock homered for the Dodgers, whose five-game winning streak ended with just their second loss in 10 games. Los Angeles' 12 runs and 17 hits allowed were its worst totals of the season.
Allard (2-2) was outstanding in the third start of the season for the Anaheim-born graduate of San Clemente High School, striking out four with just one walk. Allard, who got zero runs of support in his first two starts, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth by getting rookie Zach McKinstry on a weak first-pitch grounder.
“A W is a W, but it was obviously cool,” Allard said. “I had a lot of family and friends in the stands.”
NOW THAT'S A DEBUT
Andy Burns, a 30-year-old outfielder, got his first major league hit and then pitched in the ninth inning of his debut game with the Dodgers.
After being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game, Burns got an infield single in the second inning of his first major league start. He also drew a walk.
And with the Dodgers down 10-1 in the ninth, Burns even got to pitch. He got three outs, but also gave up three hits, including a two-run homer by Martin, another Orange County native.
Roberts said he surprised Burns by putting him on the mound in the ninth. Burns doesn't appear to have any significant pitching experience at any level of his well-traveled career.
“I just felt that I didn't want to get the anxiety or the nerves with the anticipation of that ninth inning,” Roberts said. “I just asked him if he was ready to make history, and he said, ‘Let’s do it.'”
Burns had his only six previous games of major league experience as a reserve with Toronto in 2016. He has played all across the minors and in South Korea and Australia over the past 11 years.
THEY WERE DUE
The Rangers improved to 2-10 against NL teams and won at an NL park for the first time in 12 games while beating the Dodgers for only the second time in 10 meetings since June 2015.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: 1B Max Muncy went on the injured list with a right oblique muscle strain after homering in the first inning of Friday's game and then getting pulled in the second. ... OF Cody Bellinger didn't play after leaving Friday's game with left hamstring tightness. Manager Dave Roberts doesn't think the injury is serious.
UP NEXT
Walker Buehler (5-0, 2.56) takes the mound for Los Angeles after throwing seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Dane Dunning (2-4, 4.26) counters for the Rangers.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports