ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tyler Mahle rebounded from a rough opening start to pitch one-hit ball over five shutout innings for his first win since April 3, 2023, and Kyle Higashioka’s RBI double highlighted a four-run third inning as the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on Friday night.
Mahle (1-0) allowed only a two-out single to Yandy Díaz in the third inning, striking out five and walking two on 83 pitches. He lasted only 1 2/3 innings last Saturday against Boston, walking three and allowing two hits with 31 of his 61 pitches called balls.
The 30-year-old Mahle had Tommy John surgery in May 2023 while with Minnesota, signed with Texas as a free agent that December, and made three starts last August without a win before being shut down with a stiff shoulder.
Texas’ first five batters in the third all had hits off Zack Littell (0-2). The streak ended when center fielder Jonny DeLuca made a diving catch to turn Wyatt Langford’s liner into a sacrifice fly. Littell also contributed an error on a high pickoff throw to first base that advanced leadoff batter Josh Smith to second base, where he scored on Higashioka’s double.
Smith homered in the seventh.
Luke Jackson struck out two in the ninth for his fourth save.
Key moment
Higashioka’s double on a 1-0 slider over the middle of the plate lifted chalk down the left-field line.
Key stat
Rangers pitchers threw 25 consecutive scoreless innings, winning 1-0 at Cincinnati on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the Rays scored on wild pitches by Shawn Armstrong and Chris Martin in the seventh.
Up next
In Saturday’s middle game of the series, Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (0-0, 0.00 ERA) should be capped around 85 pitches after throwing 73 in his season debut last Sunday. He’ll face Rays RHP Taj Bradley (1-0, 3.00), who’s 4-0 in his career in March and April.
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