Jacob Latz did not close Sunday's game cleanly, and that is precisely why the outing stuck. Entering with a 7-4 lead at Chase Field, the Rangers left-hander allowed three hits and two runs in the ninth, then stranded the potential tying run at second base to finish Texas' 7-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks and lock up a road series.
The Associated Press detailed the sequence: Nolan Arenado and Tim Tawa opened with doubles, James McCann grounded out, and Jordan Lawlar doubled home another run before Latz struck out Tommy Troy, intentionally walked Ketel Marte and got Gabriel Moreno to pop out to Corey Seager.
Per ESPN's box score, Latz worked one inning with three hits, two earned runs, one walk and one strikeout for his 29th save. ESPN's box matches that line. The AP noted he has converted 29 of 32 chances, including 24 of his last 25.
How Texas built the lead Latz had to protect
Seager's two-run homer in the first and a three-run fifth fueled by Arizona errors put Texas ahead to stay. Cal Quantrill worked six innings for the win. Arenado's three-run homer in the seventh sliced the margin to three runs and turned the ninth into a genuine save situation rather than a formality.
Latz's night was the opposite of a perfect inning. He allowed the first two hitters to reach via doubles, surrendered the second run on Lawlar's gap drive, and still found the outs that mattered. Moreno's popup to Seager ended it with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first.
A series that ended on the last batter
Texas had lost eight consecutive road series before taking the final two games in Phoenix, the AP reported. The Rangers improved to 74-76 and remained two games behind Cleveland for the last American League wild-card berth. Arizona fell to 79-71 after Moreno's solo shot and Arenado's three-run blast could not complete the comeback.
