Michael Lorenzen, Rangers blank Rays in series opener

Michael Lorenzen allowed one hit over five innings and Corey Seager hit a two-run double to lead the Texas Rangers to a 3-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a three-game series on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

Jonathan Ornelas doubled, singled and scored a run and Jonah Heim also had two hits for Texas, which snapped a two-game losing streak.

Lorenzen (5-4) walked five batters, including three in the fifth inning to load the bases, but he got out of the jam by streaking out Brandon Lowe. He struck out four and left after throwing 90 pitches, just 50 for strikes.

Kirby Yates fanned two during a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 12th save.

Rays starter Shane Baz (0-1), making his first major league appearance since July 10, 2022, having recovered from Tommy John surgery, allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings. Baz walked one and struck out six and threw 92 pitches, 59 for strikes. He hit 99.1 mph on the radar gun with a first-inning fastball.

Baz retired the first six batters he faced but ran into trouble in the third inning when the Rangers parlayed five hits into a 3-0 lead.

Leody Taveras opened the inning with a single but was thrown out trying to steal second.

One out later, Ornelas lined a single to right and advanced to second on a single by Marcus Semien. Seager then lined a double into the gap in left-center that rolled to the wall, driving in both Ornelas and Semien. Nathaniel Lowe followed with a ground-ball single to center, knocking in Seager.

Tampa Bay blew a scoring chance in the seventh when pinch hitter Jonny DeLuca and Taylor Walls walked to open the inning against reliever Jacob Latz. Latz rebounded to get Yandy Diaz to pop out to first and Brandon Lowe to line out to center. David Robertson replaced Latz and struck out Isaac Paredes to end the threat.

--Field Level Media