ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jacob deGrom struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings, Evan Carter hit an inside-the-park home run while Corey Seager went deep and the Texas Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 on Thursday night in the rubber match of their three-game series.
It was the 62nd career 10-strikeout game for deGrom (2-0), who has a 2.13 ERA in his six starts. The 37-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner threw 63 of 89 pitches for strikes, allowed
five hits and exited after issuing his only walk.
Carter's two-run homer for the game's first runs came when he lined a 97.5 mph full-count fastball beyond the reach of right fielder Ryan O'Hearn in the third inning. The ball ricocheted hard off the bottom of the wall and Carter rounded the bases for his first career inside-the-parker, and third homer this season.
That came two pitches after home plate umpire Dan Merzel signaled ball four, but that was overturned on a ABS challenge by the catcher Joey Bart and kept Carter at the plate instead of a walk.
Seager made it 6-0 in the fourth with his three-run homer, his sixth of the year being a 382-drive pulled into the right-field stands off Pirates rookie Bubba Chandler (1-2).
Chandler allowed six runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking three.
Oneil Cruz hit his eighth homer for Pittsburgh, a two-out solo shot in the fifth.
Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin played his last game as a teenager, going 0 for 4 the day before his 20th birthday. He was the last batter of the game, striking out against Peyton Gray, a 30-year-old right-hander making his big-league debut with a 1-2-3 inning.
Gray was called up earlier Thursday after a 278-game journey the last eight years through the minor leagues, independent ball and four winters outside the United States.
Pittsburgh goes to Milwaukee on Friday night for the first of 10 consecutive games against NL Central foes. The Rangers stay home to open a three-game series against the Athletics.
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