'El Bombi' hits 2 drastically different HRs and Montgomery wins debut as Rangers beat Marlins 6-2

Updated Aug. 4, 2023 11:32 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García hit two drastically different solo homers, Corey Seager also went deep and newly acquired left-hander Jordan Montgomery worked into the seventh inning to help the Texas Rangers beat the Miami Marlins 6-2 on Friday night.

García put the Rangers ahead to stay when he went the opposite way with a high-arching 334-foot homer just inside the right-field pole for a 3-2 lead in the third. In the sixth, the All-Star slugger known as “El Bombi” hit a 433-foot drive that landed in the second deck of seats above the visitors bullpen in left-center.

“I just picked two good pitches and made good swings,” said García, who increased his AL-leading RBI total to 88 with his 27th and 28 homers.

“What a game,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “That ball to right field, you're hoping it stays fair, it did. The second one, he got all of that one. ... He's in a good place with his swing.”

A day after three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer won in his first game with the Rangers, their other new starter acquired before this week's trade deadline struck out six, walked one and allowed two runs before leaving two batters into the seventh. Texas got Montgomery (7-9) and reliever Chris Stratton from the St. Louis Cardinals.

“Definitely a little extra nerves, just wanted to make a good first impression on the new team,” Montgomery said. “Kind of grinded it out those first few innings and settled in and kind of kept us in it. ... And the bats and, of course, Adolis had a great game.”

Josh Sborz faced only three batters to get out of the seventh before Stratton pitched two scoreless innings.

Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo (8-6) struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings. The lefty gave up four runs and six hits.

Texas (64-46) maintained its 1 1/2-game AL West lead over reigning World Series champion Houston (63-48). The Astros won 7-3 in New York against the Yankees.

Jon Berti homered for the Marlins (58-53), who missed a chance to move into National League’s third wild-card spot. They remained a half-game behind Cincinnati (59-53), which lost 6-3 in 10 innings to Washington.

“We just couldn’t get any hits, that’s the main thing,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “We couldn’t get the ball off the ground. It started off good, a lot of weak contact throughout the game after the second inning.”

GIVE AND TAKE

The teams traded runs in the first and second innings. Luis Arraez led off the game with his MLB-leading 154th hit and scored on a double by Josh Bell, before Seager's 17th homer tied the game. Berti homered in the second and Texas got even again on an RBI double by No. 9 hitter Leody Taveras.

LOT OF Ks

Texas pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts and only one walk. It is the fourth game in a row, all wins, the team had at least 10 strikeouts. The Rangers had 42 strikeouts with only three walks in a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox earlier this week. That was their most Ks in a three-game series since their record 43 against Houston in 2013.

SHORT HOPS

García also doubled and walked. It was his second game this season with at least three extra-base hits. The other was April 22 against Oakland when he had three homers and two doubles. ... Marlins CF Avisaíl García had a two-pitch strikeout leading off the fourth inning. After fouling off the first pitch, he got a pitch clock infraction for an automatic strike and then swung on missed on the next pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: All-Star RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right forearm strain) was playing catch Friday, and Bochy said he would do that a few more times to build up and that it would likely be two to three weeks before the pitcher is back. Eovaldi (11-3) threw six scoreless innings against Tampa Bay on July 18 in his only start since the All-Star break.

UP NEXT

RHP Jon Gray (6-5, 3.66 ERA), 0-4 over his last eight starts since early June, pitches for the Rangers on Saturday. He had the lead July 19 when he got struck on the left shin by a comebacker in the fifth inning against Tampa Bay. He made his next start five days later, but the Rangers gave him some extra time after that one.

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