Heaney and Semien rebound from recent struggles and help Rangers beat Guardians 2-0

Updated Jul. 15, 2023 7:35 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Andrew Heaney rebounded from his worst start of the season, slumping Marcus Semien had his first multihit game in two weeks and the Texas Rangers beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 Saturday,

Heaney (6-6) allowed six hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings, striking out four. Against Washington last Sunday, the 31-year-old left-hander allowed eight runs, matching a career high. He had been on the paternity list after his wife delivered twin daughters.

“It was really nice to get out there and feel a little more like myself,” said Heaney, who said he worked with pitching coach Mike Maddux over the All-Star break. “Obviously, D.C. was just bad. I didn’t want to pick up where I left off.”

Grant Anderson relieved with runners at the corners and got Tyler Freeman to ground into a double play. Closer Will Smith got five outs in the seventh and eighth innings, and Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a one-hit ninth in his first save situation since he was acquired from Kansas City on June 30.

Chapman’s final pitch, striking out Myles Straw swinging, was clocked at 102.5 mph — the fastest for the Rangers since Statcast started tracking in 2015.

“It’s really amazing he has the same stuff I saw, what, 10 years ago?” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said of the 35-year-old seven-time All-Star.

Cleveland had eight hits and stranded eight. The Guardians had runners in every inning but were shut out for the ninth time this season. Texas has pitched seven shutouts.

“We had one big shot,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “Tyler hit the ball right on the nose at the second baseman.”

Semien, who entered in a 3-for-36 slide, singled in the first, advanced on Corey Seager’s double and scored on a groundout by Adolis García, who leads the major leagues with 79 RBIs.

Semien had a second-inning sacrifice fly on a foulout 215 feet down the right-field line following singles by Jonah Heim and Travis Jankowski. He also singled in the seventh and leads the club with 30 multihit games.

Texas, which leads the major leagues with a .275 average, had five hits. This was the fourth time this season the Rangers won scoring two runs or one.

Texas clinched the three-game weekend series after going 0-4-1 in its previous five series.

Gavin Williams (1-2) allowed both runs, four hits and four walks over five innings in his fifth big league start since his recall from Triple-A Columbus on June 20. He threw 52 pitches in the first two innings and 92 overall.

“I’m just nibbling a little bit too much,” Williams said. “I need to stop being so fine with it.”

SPIN-A-RAMA MOVE

Mitch Garver opened Texas’ fourth inning with a dribbler in foul territory up the first-base line that spun toward fair territory and bounced off the bag back into foul ground before first baseman Josh Bell could field it. Bell tossed to Williams covering to barely get Garver.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (forearm irritation) was placed on the 15-day injured list, a move retroactive to Wednesday, and has a scheduled consultation with Texas team physician Dr. Keith Meister on Sunday. RHP Michael Kelly was recalled from Columbus and struck out two in a hitless sixth inning.

Rangers: RHP Josh Sborz (biceps tendinitis) was placed on the 15-day injured list. LHP John King was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.

UP NEXT

Rookie RHP Tanner Bibee (5-2, 3.34 ERA), in the starting rotation since his recall from Triple-A Columbus in late April, starts Sunday for Cleveland. He is 3-0 in his last four starts. Rangers LHP Martín Pérez (7-3, 4.81) will be working on 12 days’ rest since allowing six runs, including three homers, in 1 1/3 innings on July 3 vs. Houston. It was his shortest start since August 2021 with Boston.

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