Adolis García ended a rough stretch, where he was 1 for 19, by hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning. His homer helped the Texas Rangers win their fifth consecutive game, beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Before his home run, García had struggled in July, batting just .115 with three hits in 26 at-bats. He connected on a sinker from Luis García (3-1), sending it into the stands in right-center field.
“It felt great because it contributed to the team’s victory, which is the most important thing right now,” García said. “It was a significant moment for me and helped us get the win.”
García had hit the ball hard earlier in the game but had little to show for it, grounding into a double play and lining out to the outfield.
Manager Bruce Bochy praised García’s resilience: “Despite not getting results earlier in the game, he stayed focused and hit the home run to put us ahead. He was a key player for us last season, and getting him back on track will be a boost for the team.”
Despite Logan O’Hoppe hitting two home runs and collecting three hits for the Angels, they lost their eighth game out of nine.
In the seventh inning, the Angels had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded and two outs, but they couldn’t capitalize as Nolan Schanuel grounded out.
Kirby Yates closed the game, giving up a single to Zach Neto with two outs in the ninth but striking out Jo Adell to earn his 14th save.
“We had opportunities to do something special, but we couldn’t get that crucial hit,” Angels manager Ron Washington lamented.
Josh Smith, who surprisingly missed out on an All-Star Game selection, had three hits, including a home run in the first inning. After two unsuccessful attempts to bunt, Smith hit a changeup from Angels’ starter Roansy Contreras over the center of the plate, clearing the wall in right-center field for a solo home run.
