The hit that finished Texas' big inning belonged to Ezequiel Duran. With Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo on base in the fifth at Chase Field on Saturday night, Duran singled to center and drove both home, turning a budding rally into a 6-1 Rangers lead on the way to a 6-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Associated Press framed Duran's two-run single alongside Wyatt Langford's leadoff homer as the signature swings of a six-run fifth that evened the series. Per ESPN's box score, Duran went 1-for-5 with two RBIs. ESPN's box matches that line.
Building the inning before Duran's swing
Arizona scored first when Tim Tawa came home on a Pavin Smith single. Langford answered immediately, leading off the fifth with his 17th homer of the season to tie it 1-1.
A review then kept the inning alive. The Diamondbacks believed they had turned an inning-ending double play, but Corey Seager was ruled safe at first after Bill Miller judged Brandon Pfaadt off the bag. Arizona's challenge failed when the video was inconclusive, the AP reported, and Texas kept batting.
Elias Diaz singled home Jake Burger. Jung singled home Diaz. Nimmo doubled home Seager. Then Duran's single cleared the bases of Jung and Nimmo and put the Rangers up five.
Bullpen closes the door
Kumar Rocker started and lasted four innings with one run allowed, two hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Nathan Eovaldi, back from the injured list, worked 2 2/3 relief innings and allowed one run in his first relief appearance since 2019. Jacob Latz finished a clean ninth.
