ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Josh Jung and Corey Seager homered, Kumar Rocker pitched five solid innings and Texas closed out its home schedule with a 3-1 win over the New York Mets on Thursday that ensured that the Rangers would remain at least tied for the AL West lead heading into the regular season’s final weekend.
Texas (79-80) stopped a three-game losing streak and moved a half-game ahead of Houston, which played Thursday night at the Athletics. (78-80) hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Rangers.
Texas, which finishes the regular season with three games in Minnesota, went ahead to stay on Jung’s two-run homer in the first inning off rookie left-hander Zac Thornton (5-6). Seager snapped an 0-for-15 skid when he led off the sixth with his 19th homer.
Rocker (6-11) struck out four while allowing one run and three hits. Jordan Montgomery, the fourth Rangers reliever, worked a perfect ninth for his second big league save. He’s made 161 starts and 17 relief appearances over nine big league seasons.
Francisco Lindor led off the game with a double and scored on Carson Benge’s two-out single to put New York up 1-0. Benge has a Mets rookie record 160 hits.
Thornton struck out four and walked one in his five innings. He allowed four hits and the only runs he surrendered were on Jung’s 12th homer. Seager went deep off Jefry Yan, another rookie.
Jung, who finished with three hits and a walk, is hitting .341 (15 for 44) in 11 games since coming off the injured list Sept. 12. He missed 47 games because of a left calf strain.
New York (73-86) goes to Washington (75-84) to open a three-game series Friday matching the two teams at the bottom of the NL East standings.
Texas plays Friday against the Twins, who never trailed while in mid-June.
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