Joey Gallo, Yovani Gallardo stay hot, Rangers beat Mariners 11-7
ARLINGTON, Texas – Yovani Gallardo and Joey Gallo both remain on a roll for the Texas Rangers.
Gallo homered twice and drove in four runs, Gallardo won his fourth straight start and the Rangers held off the Seattle Mariners 11-7 on Wednesday.
Gallardo (7-1) leads the majors with seven wins since June 23. He allowed three hits, two runs and three walks while striking out two in six innings.
Through being released by Cincinnati in April, and then pitching at Triple-A Round Rock for more than two months, Gallardo said, “I’m the same guy, same person I’ve been throughout my career.”
Rangers manager Jeff Banister agreed with Gallardo’s comments.
“That’s who he is. He’s very similar to what we saw when he was here previously. He knows how to pitch in winning situations.”
In 2015, Gallardo’s only other season with Texas, he was 13-11.
Gallo also has been on a roll, with 10 of his 31 homers in his past 19 games. He went 3 for 5 to raise his batting average above .200 for the first time since June 16.
Gallo’s homers against Seattle starter Marco Gonzales gave him 12 against left-handers this season, the most by a Texas left-handed batter since Rafael Palmeiro hit 15 in 2003.
“I’ve always hit left-handers pretty good. I don’t really mind the lefties. My dad was lefty throwing to me when I was younger, so maybe that helped me.”
Banister saw something else.
“I think he’s calmer in the batter’s box.”
Gonzales (12-7) gave up career highs of 12 hits and seven runs in five innings. He has lost two games in a row after a career-best five-game winning streak.
“They were on him,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “You have to give them credit, they’ve been swinging the bat very well.”
Seattle used five singles to score four runs in the seventh to pull within 7-6, but the Rangers answered with four runs to pull away.
Mike Zunino hit two homers for the Mariners.
The Rangers’ season-high 19 hits included 11 extra-base hits. Those were the most Texas extra-base hits and doubles (eight) in a game since 2011.
Seattle led only in the first inning. With one out, Jean Segura walked, went to second base on Gallardo’s wild pitch and scored on Mitch Haniger’s single to center field.
“That first inning went a little bit longer than I expected to,” Gallardo said. “The second inning I was able to get some early contact. Just getting weak contact.”
The Rangers came back for a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first.