Leody Taveras and Corey Seager each recorded two-run hits in the second inning as the visiting Texas Rangers won 5-3 over the reeling Cleveland Guardians on Friday night.
Nathan Eovaldi (9-7) allowed three runs and seven hits, but completed six innings for the Rangers, who have won four of five. He struck out five and walked one.
Adolis Garcia added an RBI double in the seventh and Nathaniel Lowe had three singles for Texas, which did all its scoring with two outs.
The Rangers didn’t make things easy for Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (10-6), who allowed all of his runs in the second. Bibee yielded eight hits and a walk while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings.
Daniel Schneemann had two hits and an RBI for the American League Central-leading Guardians, who have lost three straight and six of seven.
Clinging to that lead in the Central, Cleveland batters struck out 10 times Friday. It’s been held to three or fewer runs six times in the past seven.
In the Texas second, Lowe opened with a single and went to third on Josh Jung’s double. After Bibee retired the next two hitters, ninth-spot hitter Taveras, on a 3-2 pitch, dropped a single into right field that scored both runners.
After Taveras stole second and Marcus Siemen walked, Seager made it 4-0 with his two-RBI double to right.
Cleveland answered with a run in the bottom of the second. Will Brennan led off with a double, went to third on Andres Gimenez’s groundout to second base and scored via a Lane Thomas sacrifice fly.
The Guardians made it 4-2 in the third when Brayan Rocchio opened with a base hit, moved up on a grounder and scored on Schneemann’s single to center. The hosts got within a run in the fourth when Gimenez singled with one out, stole second and came home on Bo Naylor’s two-out single.
Texas got some needed insurance in the seventh. Facing Guardians reliever Cade Smith, Josh Smith singled with two outs and scored on Garcia’s double off the right-center-field wall to make it a two-run contest.
Kirby Yates retired the side in order in the ninth for his 23rd save.
Lowe is 16-for-38 (.421) in 10 career games at Cleveland.