Texas Rangers vs Atlanta Braves Box Score on Sep 06, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 6, 2017

ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman's two-run double highlighted a five-run second inning that the Atlanta Braves rode to a 5-4 win over the Texas Rangers in the nightcap of a doubleheader at SunTrust Park.

Freeman was 1-for-4 and finished 3-for-7 for the doubleheader as the Braves salvaged one game of the three-game interleague series.

Texas won the first game Wednesday, 12-8.

In the nightcap, Atlanta starter Julio Teheran (10-11) pitched five innings and allowed three runs on five hits and a season-high five walks. He struck out three.

The Rangers closed the gap to 5-4 in the sixth when Will Middlebrooks led off with a pinch-hit triple off reliever A.J. Minter and scored on Cole Hamels' grounder to second base. Middlebrooks became the first player in major league history to record a pinch-hit triple in both games of a doubleheader.

Atlanta's Sam Freeman pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Jose Ramirez got two outs in the eighth for his 25th hold. Arodys Vizcaino allowed two hits in the ninth but retired Joey Gallo on a flyout to end the game and pick up his 10th save.

Hamels (9-3) pitched six innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. After allowing all five runs in the second inning, Hamels retired nine consecutive batters and gave up just one hit and one walk in his final four innings.

The Braves sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five times in the second inning. Dansby Swanson and Ender Inciarte both drove in a run with singles, Kurt Suzuki scored on a throwing error, and Freeman launched a two-run double that almost left the park.

The Rangers cut the deficit to 5-2 in the third on Nomar Mazara's two-run homer, his 18th.

Texas added a run in the fifth when Carlos Gomez doubled to dead center field over the head of Inciarte, allowing Mazara to beat the relay to the plate.

In the first game of the twin-bill, Elvis Andrus went 4-for-5 and hit his 20th home run to spark a team-best nine extra-base hits. Mike Napoli clubbed his 29th homer. Austin Bibens-Dirxx (5-2) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief.

Atlanta rookie Luiz Gohara (0-1) lasted four innings and allowed six runs in his major league debut. Inciarte went 4-for-5 and hit his 11th homer, and Matt Kemp hit his 17th home run.

NOTES: Texas C Robinson Chirinos doubled in his first at-bat of the second game and extended his on-base streak to 22 games. ... Atlanta C Kurt Suzuki was hit by a pitch for the 11th time, second on the club behind fellow C Tyler Flowers with 18. Texas CF Carlos Gomez was hit by a pitch for the 19th time, matching his career high. ... Texas RF Nomar Mazara left the second game in the sixth inning with tightness in his left quad. Mazara seemed to struggle while scoring on a double in the fifth inning. ... Texas LF Delina DeShields was hitless in the nightcap and saw his streak of reaching base in consecutive games end at 19. ... Atlanta begins a four-game series with Miami on Thursday. ... Texas returns home to start a three-game series with the New York Yankees on Friday.