ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – The Toronto Blue Jays outlasted the Rangers to win after an overnight trip to Texas, two outstanding starting performances, some rain and an errant throw in the 12th inning.
Brandon Drury led off the 12th inning with a single and eventually scored the game’s only run on pitcher Ariel Jurado’s throwing error with a slick ball for a 1-0 win Friday night, handing the Rangers their first extra-innings shutout loss at home in nearly 27 years.
“There’s nothing better than to win an extra-inning game because you get deflated when you lose those extra-inning games after you battle to get to that point,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. “It feels really good for the club to win a game like this.”
Especially following a four-hour game after getting swept in three games by the Los Angeles Angels, then a trip from the West Coast that had the Blue Jays arriving in Texas just before 6 a.m. Friday.
Drury and Teoscar Hernandez had consecutive singles to start the 12th off the fifth Texas pitcher before Danny Jansen‘s two-strike sacrifice bunt hit right toward the mound. Jurado (0-1) fielded the ball and went for the lead runner – Drury likely would have been out if not for the throw wide of third base.
“It’s wet out there, the ball caught a lot of grass back to him,” manager Chris Woodward said. “You have pressure on you in that situation, and the elements the way they are make it hard to make plays.”
Elvis Andrus drove a double into the left-center gap on the first pitch thrown in the 10th, but the Rangers left the bases loaded after it started to rain.
It was raining harder when Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields made an impressive running catch near the wall on a drive by Rowdy Tellez to end the top of the 11th, but Texas stranded two more runners in the bottom of the inning against Daniel Hudson (2-1).
Ken Giles struck out the side on 13 pitches in the 12th, including slugger Joey Gallo, for his eighth save in nine chances. Six Toronto pitchers combined on a four-hitter for the team’s first shutout this season.
Rookie right-hander Trent Thornton limited Texas to one hit and struck out five in seven innings. But he again got no offensive support in trying to get his first big league win – Toronto has scored only five runs over his 35 1/3 innings in seven starts.
The only hit Texas got off Thornton was Nomar Mazara’s popup to shallow left leading off the fifth. Shortstop Freddy Galvis got turned around and the ball dropped beyond his glove when he made a final lunge in front of two outfielders. Mazara was out trying to go to second when left fielder Hernandez picked up the ball and threw him out.
Rangers starter Mike Minor threw eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. The lefty was coming off a career-high 13 strikeouts in a win last Saturday at Seattle, and had thrown a three-hitter for his first career shutout in his previous home start April 15 against the Los Angeles Angels.
“You gotta give the other guy credit,” Minor said. “They battled and came out the winners tonight.”
SOME CHANCES BEFORE EXTRAS
Toronto got two singles in the ninth, including a one-out infield hit by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but reliever Chris Martin also struck out three. … Galvis had a two-out double in the eighth, but was thrown out when trying to score on Grichuk’s single as left fielder Gallo’s throw easily beat him to the plate for the last out.
SHORT HOPS
Minor’s 116 pitches were one below his career high, set in 2013 with Atlanta before he missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of a torn labrum in his shoulder and was a full-time reliever for Kansas City in 2017. … The 20-year-old Guerrero, a week after his big league debut, played his first game at Texas, where his Hall of Fame father was part of the Rangers’ first American League championship team in 2010. … The last Rangers extra-innings shutout loss at home had been 1-0 in 13 innings to Minnesota on September 1992, nearly two years before moving into their current ballpark that they will leave after this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: LHP Drew Smyly (nerve tightness left arm) is set to come off the injured list to start Sunday. His last start was April 19. Woodward said Smyly threw a simulated game earlier this week and feels 100 percent. … 1B Ronald Guzman (right hamstring strain) will start a rehab assignment Saturday with Double-A Frisco. Without setbacks, or unless needed sooner, he likely will rejoin the Rangers next Friday in Houston.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Lefty Thomas Pannone (1-2, 5.40 ERA) makes his second start of the season. He made his ninth relief appearance last Sunday.
Rangers: RHP Lance Lynn (3-2, 5.45) has won three of his last four starts, but is 0-2 with a 5.73 ERA in four career games against Toronto.
