Choo drives in 4 in Rangers’ 9-5 win over Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) A storm knocked out the lights at Chase Field. The Texas Rangers are starting to find a little of their power, even if it is too late.
Shin-Soo Choo homered twice and had four RBIs, helping the Rangers rally after a power outage delay to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5 Monday night.
''We went through a stretch where later innings were a challenge for us,'' Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ''Late runs are always quality for us and it's a situation where we're seeing some of these young guys grow in their at-bats.''
Choo hit a three-run homer off Robbie Ray in the fifth inning and added a solo shot against Matt Andriese (0-1) in the eighth for his sixth 20-homer season.
A thunderstorm outside Chase Field caused some of the lights to go out in the sixth and, after a 21-minute delay, pinch-hitter Willie Calhoun lined a run-scoring single to right to put the Rangers up 5-4.
Eddie Butler (2-1) got the final out in the sixth inning and Rougned Odor hit a solo homer off Andriese in the seventh for the go-ahead run.
Texas, which had 12 hits, has won four straight since losing five of nine, but is still 21 games behind Houston in the AL West.
''It's something we've seen throughout some of the challenges of these games, offensive guys continue to show up, battle through at-bats, find a way to put runs across the board,'' Banister said.
Steven Souza Jr. hit a three-run homer and Eduardo Escobar had two RBIs in his first game at Chase Field since being traded from Minnesota to Arizona. The Diamondbacks scored one run after the power delay while Texas had four.
''The timing couldn't have been worse,'' Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. ''I felt like it could have been a different outcome had that not happened. But we've got to make a pitch and we didn't execute.''
Ray worked through some traffic in the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. The left-hander walked two and Choo lifted his 19th homer over the wall in left for a three-run shot.
The Diamondbacks answered in the bottom half with the help of a throwing error by third baseman Adrian Beltre, going up 4-3 when Souza bounced a three-run homer off the top of the wall in left.
Ray was lifted after a one-out walk in the sixth inning and Texas went ahead 4-3 on Robinson Chirinos' run-scoring single against Yoshihisa Hirano.
Ray allowed four runs on three hits and struck out six with four walks.
ANDRIESE'S STRUGGLES
While Escobar had a strong first game at Chase Field, Andriese did not. The right-hander was acquired from Tampa Bay and had one appearance on the road, allowing a run in two innings against San Diego.
Andriese entered Monday's game in the seventh inning and was hit hard in two innings, allowing three runs on six hits.
''it's very frustrating, but it's baseball,'' he said. ''You just have to go out there and compete. The next opportunity I get, it's a new day.''
CHOO'S BOUNCEBACK
Choo had four strikeouts against Houston on Sunday, a rarity during his 14-year career. He struck out his first at-bat against Arizona, but hit a hard ground ball his second and followed with two homers.
''After the first at-bat, he came into the dugout and found a rhythm with his swing,'' Bannister said. ''The second at-bat, he fouled some pitches off and on that ground ball to second base, he seemed to barrel it up. I think that unlocked him a little bit, just with his timing and his swing.''
TRAINER'S TABLE
Diamondbacks: OF David Peralta was held out of the starting lineup after exiting Sunday's game against San Diego in the sixth inning with right shoulder tightness.
UP NEXT
Texas RHP Bartolo Colon will make his fifth attempt at becoming MLB's all-time wins leader among Latin American pitchers when he faces Arizona RHP Zack Godley. The 45-year-old Colon is tied with Nicaraguan Dennis Martinez with 245 wins after losing his previous four outings.
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