Dane Dunning’s revenge? No. Marcus Semien’s vengeance!
The Texas Rangers scored six runs while the Atlanta Braves scored five runs in ten innings.
Yes Kumar Rocker is still a work in progress at the big league level. One start after he flirted with a no-hitter for a while in a win against the Tigers, tonight he was struggling to even throw strikes during an inefficient and brief appearance.
Things could have gone worse for Rocker in the early goings had Adolis Garcia not whipped out the hose and tossed out a runner at home to end a 30+ pitch first inning for the rookie hurler. The Braves also scored a run in the second inning, another struggle-filled inning for Rocker.
Down 2-0 early, and with a rare instance of their starter scuffling, the lineup broke out for two runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game and then two more in the bottom of the third to take a lead.
Rocker never quite found it and eventually allowed a third run in his final inning in the fourth. Rocker ultimately left having allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. Nevertheless, seemed like Texas would eventually add to their lead and cruise to another July victory.
Jacob Latz came on and walked a few batters before getting out of the jam and then Texas turned to Jon Gray to soak up some of those innings he’s missed after being absent for the whole first half of the season.
The lone blemish on Gray’s line in three innings of work would become a problem for the Rangers as a whole as a Michael Harris solo home run in the sixth off Gray tied the game. Harris came into this series sporting a sub-.600 OPS for the season in what has been a difficult year for the former Rookie of the Year, but that trend didn’t continue tonight as instead he went 4-for-4 with two triples, a double, and the game-tying homer.
The second triple looked like it would become the eventually game-winning moment as Wyatt Langford misplayed a low liner to left field that got by him and allowed Harris to scamper all the way to third base as the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, which Atlanta delivered via a sac fly.
In the bottom of the ninth, however, the Rangers snapped a string of five straight scoreless innings when Josh Jung drew a walk and Jonah Heim followed a double. After failing to get Heim in to win the game in regulation, Shawn Armstrong held Atlanta’s Manfred Man at bay in his second scoreless inning.
That proved large as after Atlanta walked Corey Seager intentionally, Marcus Semien delivered the game winner. Texas’ winning streak now sits at five after the comeback victory.
Player of the Game: After a scare, Semien moseyed to first base chewing a wad of gum after taking a pitch off his face. In his next at-bat, he hit the pitcher who threw the HBP with a batted ball that ricocheted into an out with the bases loaded. Finally, in the tenth, it was Semien that laced a ball into left-center field for the game winner in extras.
Marcus Semien wins it in extras for the @Rangers pic.twitter.com/aH22ZkTsgQ
— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2025
It was a very eventful night for our keystone captain.
Up Next: The finale of this series between the Rangers and Braves will see RHP Jack Leiter take the mound with Texas eyeing a sweep opposite RHP Bryce Elder for Atlanta.
The Sunday afternoon first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 1:35 pm CT and will be carried on the Rangers Sports Network.