The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have staged an exciting series at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers hope for a few more fireworks on Wednesday when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the Angels.
After a pair of ninth inning solo home runs carried Texas to a win in Monday's opener, the Rangers needed even more heroics on Tuesday, as Leonys Martin's three-run homer in the 10th inning capped Texas' 14-11 victory and handed the Angels a fifth straight loss.
"He's shown that he can do that. He's hit some doubles down that left field line," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "But the most important thing is he got a pitch up in the zone and he stayed on it."
Geovany Soto hit the game-winning homer on Monday and smacked a big three-run blast in the eighth inning Tuesday to start the comeback. Adrian Beltre singled in a run in the ninth off Ernesto Frieri, who suffered a second consecutive blown save.
"This is the most frustrating moment of my career. I never went through this. I don't know what to do," Frieri said. "We're very frustrated."
Beltre went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI for the Rangers, who won back-to-back games for the first time since taking three straight from July 7-9.
Former Rangers star Josh Hamilton drove in four runs, Mike Trout went 4-for-4 with two walks, three runs scored and an RBI and Mark Trumbo and Collin Cowgill each homered in the loss.
The wild back-and-forth tilt featured 35 combined hits and saw the Angels take a seemingly comfortable 11-7 lead in the eighth, which was extended due to a failed rundown attempt.
Heading to the hill for the Rangers on Wednesday will be lefty Martin Perez, who is 3-3 with a 4.37 ERA. Perez did not get a decision on Friday in Cleveland, but was not sharp, as he allowed seven runs (6 earned) and eight hits in just three innings of his team's 11-8 loss.
"Just don't go too fast with my mind," Perez said. "New game, new day. I have to just trust my stuff."
Perez has never started against the Angels, who will oppose him with veteran righty Jerome Williams.
Williams lost his fifth straight decision on Friday in Oakland, as he surrendered four runs and six hits in five innings to fall to 5-7 on the year to go along with a 4.85 ERA.
Texas has won six of eight head-to-head meetings with the Halos this season.
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