ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Adolis García, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning, and the first-place Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.
Texas maintained its 2 1/2-game lead in the AL West over Houston, which won 5-1 at Seattle to drop the skidding Mariners four games behind the Rangers with six to play.
Marcus Semien also launched a solo homer for Texas, and Jon Gray pitched six strong innings.
One day after smacking six home runs against Seattle, the Rangers flexed their muscles again with three solo shots in a row to build a 3-1 lead in the sixth. It was the ninth time in franchise history Texas hit three consecutive home runs — and the first since 2015.
Semien, who had two homers Sunday, added another one in the seventh.
Texas trailed for the first five innings before Jimmy Herget (2-4), the third Angels pitcher, discovered why the Rangers lead the AL in homers.
Gray (9-8) earned his first win since Aug. 11, after pitching fewer than four innings in three straight starts. He allowed a run and five hits with seven strikeouts.
But after warming up for the seventh, Gray was removed with right wrist tightness.
Los Angeles loaded the bases against reliever Jonathan Hernández with two outs but he retired Eduardo Escobar on a grounder to end the threat.
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