Rangers' slumbering bats come alive in blowout victory over Cardinals

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer and matched his career high with four hits, Jack Leiter pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings for the first time in 15 major league starts and the Texas Rangers routed the St. Louis Cardinals 11-1 on Friday night.

Leiter (4-2) allowed three singles and matched a career high with six strikeouts, throwing a career-high 96 pitches. Semien drove in three runs. He was 10 for 70 in his previous 21 games.

Sam Haggerty tied his career best with three hits and had three RBIs, Josh Jung also had three hits and three RBIs, and Wyatt Langford hit a two-run home run.

Haggerty scored the first of his three runs on a first-inning single by Josh Jung that ended a team-wide 0-for-30 drought. The Rangers (28-30) went into play last in the AL in batting average and runs. They were held to three runs in their previous three games, shut out Wednesday and hitless after Josh Smith’s leadoff single in the first inning.

Caleb Boushley pitched the final three innings for first career save.

The Rangers prevented the Cardinals (32-25) from going nine games over .500 for the first time this season. They had 15 hits, three shy of their season high.

Lars Nootbaar doubled home Victor Scott II with the Cardinals’ run in the eighth inning.

Matthew Liberatore (3-4) allowed five runs in the first two innings, one unearned.

Key moment

Haggerty’s two-run triple in the second inning sliced into the right-field corner off a 3-2 pitch.

Key stat

Texas' pitching isn’t a problem. Its 2.81 rotation ERA leads the majors.

Up next

Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (5-1, 4.06 ERA) was set to start Saturday against LHP Patrick Corbin (3-3, 3.75).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb