In a game that had more twists than a ninth-inning roller coaster, the Texas Rangers pulled off a dramatic 6-5 walk-off victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night, thanks to Danny Jansen's clutch two-out single.
The ninth inning alone was pure baseball chaos—both teams scored three runs, turning what looked like a routine finish into an instant classic. Jansen, with the weight of the game on his shoulders, drilled the first pitch he saw from reliever Juan Morillo into the left-field corner, sending the Arlington crowd into a frenzy.
Morillo had just taken over for Paul Sewald (0-4), who had been perfect in his first nine save chances this season. But the Rangers' bats had other plans. Ezequiel Duran started the comeback with an RBI double, and Jake Burger—who had already launched a three-run homer in the fifth to break the scoreless tie—delivered again with a game-tying RBI single that chased Sewald from the game.
The Diamondbacks had taken a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth, with Nolan Arenado's RBI double knotting things at 3 before Ildemaro Vargas lined a two-run single. Texas used seven pitchers total, with Cal Quantrill (2-0) coming in to clean up after Jacob Latz couldn't record an out.
One of the night's biggest storylines was Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, who struck out to start the ninth and finished 0-for-4. The two-time World Series MVP is now mired in a career-worst slump—seven consecutive games without a hit, an 0-for-27 stretch with 11 strikeouts that has dropped his average to .179.
For Arizona, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. showed incredible toughness, fouling a pitch off his left knee in the fourth but staying in the game to deliver an RBI double in the sixth. Arenado also contributed a sacrifice fly in the seventh before his ninth-inning double, which came after Corbin Carroll led off with a double and Geraldo Perdomo walked.
On the mound, Rangers starter Kumar Rocker struggled with command, walking four and needing 97 pitches to get through five scoreless innings. Arizona's Ryne Nelson was sharp, striking out eight without a walk over seven innings, though he was tagged for Burger's home run.
Both teams get a day off Thursday before hitting the road Friday—the Diamondbacks head to Colorado, while the Rangers travel to Houston. If this game was any indication, fans in both cities have plenty to be excited about.