Blue Jays 4 - 2 Rangers
Final
  for this game

Blue Jays use late surge to beat Rangers

May 18, 2014 - 5:33 AM Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Jose Reyes plated the go-ahead run with a double in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 4-2 on Saturday.

Jose Bautista had two hits, including a solo homer for the Blue Jays, who have won six in a row in Arlington. They took the opener of the three-game series 2-0 on Friday behind Drew Hutchison's first career complete game.

Mark Buehrle threw 6 2/3 innings in this one but missed a chance to become the first eight-game winner in the majors despite giving up just two runs on seven hits and a walk.

The banged-up Rangers dropped their fourth straight game, falling to 5-14 in their last 19 since going a season-high six games over .500 on April 26.

Rangers manager Ron Washington said the only way to escape a funk like the one his team is currently in is to play out of it.

"You just keep playing and when those opportunities present themselves, someone has to deliver," Washington said.

Robbie Ross Jr. yielded one run on three hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings for Texas.

Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder missed the game after being diagnosed with a herniated disk in his neck, ending his string of 547 consecutive games played -- the longest active streak in the majors.

Fielder isn't expected to go in the disabled list, but the Rangers learned on Saturday that left-hander Martin Perez will likely miss at least a year after deciding to have Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow.

Right-handed Rangers reliever Alexi Ogando left the game after taking a Brett Lawrie line drive off his pitching hand in the seventh inning. The team said X-rays were negative and Ogando has a bruised hand.

Kevin Pillar hit a one-out double off Neal Cotts (1-3) in the eighth inning and scored when Reyes blooped a double into right field with two down to give the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead.

Steve Delabar (3-0) struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth for the win and Dioner Navarro's sacrifice fly off Jason Frasor in the top of the ninth scored Edwin Encarnacion to give Toronto an insurance run.

Casey Janssen then pitched a perfect ninth to lock down the win and his third save.

Toronto's six consecutive wins in Arlington have come by a combined score of 30-6.

Bautista belted a 2-0 fastball into the left-field seats with two outs in the first inning for his 11th homer of the season.

The Rangers tied the score at 1-1 on Michael Choice's RBI single in the third inning.

It remained 1-1 after Texas center fielder Leonys Martin threw Reyes out at home on a fly ball double play to end the fifth inning.

Toronto took a 2-1 lead in the seventh when Anthony Gose doubled, stole third base -- the safe call was upheld after a Rangers challenge -- and came home on Melky Cabrera's slow grounder to third. The Blue Jays loaded the bases after that but didn't score again.

Buehrle came out after giving up consecutive two-out singles to Robinson Chirinos and Martin in the bottom of the seventh, and Luis Sardinas tied the score at 2-2 with an RBI single off Aaron Loup.

Game Notes

The Rangers honored retired infielder and franchise hits leader Michael Young before the game. Young had 2,230 hits and batted .301 in 13 seasons for Texas from 2000-12 ... Fielder's games-played streak ranks 25th in major league history. He last missed a game on Sept. 13, 2010, sitting out for the Tigers against Houston because of flu-like symptoms.






Related News