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Aranda and Palacios homer as Rays overcome first Rangers grand slam of season in 7-6 win
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- Aranda and Palacios homer as Rays overcome first Rangers grand slam of season in 7-6 win
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jonathan Aranda and Richie Palacios homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays overcame the first grand slam of the season by Texas in a 7-6 victory Friday night, ending a 10-game road losing streak against the Rangers.
Elias Díaz, who had five RBIs, hit his fourth career slam to get Texas within a run in the seventh inning, but the Rangers matched their biggest AL West deficit of the season at three games. Division-leading Houston beat Arizona 3-1.
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Nick Martinez exited with one out and two on in the seventh with the AL East-leading Rays up 6-1, but Garrett Cleavinger walked Cody Freeman before Díaz lined a 1-2 slider just over the fence in left field.
Cleavinger was replaced after Justin Foscue singled, and Cam Booser got Corey Seager to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Kevin Kelly pitched a perfect eighth and Tyler Wells finished for his sixth save after major league saves leader Bryan Baker exited with what the right-hander believed was dehydration after issuing two walks to start the ninth.
Díaz's sacrifice fly against Wells trimmed the deficit to one again and put the potential tying run at third with two outs, but Foscue popped out.
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Martinez (14-4), who tied Saturday starter Drew Rasmussen for the team lead in wins, allowed five hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings.
The right-hander was making his first appearance as an opponent at Texas, where his big league career started 12 years ago before a four-year stint in Japan.
Kumar Rocker (5-11) followed two opening relievers for Texas and gave up solo homers to Aranda in the third and Palacios in the fourth before the right-hander allowed five hits in a four-run Tampa Bay fifth.
Yandy Díaz, Aranda and Junior Caminero opened with three consecutive doubles, and Victor Mesa Jr. and Chandler Simpson added RBI singles. Yandy Díaz had three hits, and Aranda and Caminero drove in two runs apiece.
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Rasmussen (14-5, 2.95 ERA) is set to face Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (10-9, 4.00).
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