ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥� Adolis Garc铆a hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Cody Bradford pitched seven strong innings after the worst start of his career, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The win kept the defending World Series-champion Rangers alive in the AL West race, trailing first-place Houston by 10 games with 10 to play.
Garc铆a launched an inside sinker over the left-field wall off Toronto starter Bowden Francis (8-5) after Wyatt Langford singled.
鈥淗e swings hard, he swings a lot,鈥� Francis said of Garc铆a. 鈥淚 guess the velo was dropping during that time.鈥�
Bradford (6-3) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out six.
The seven shutout innings are the most in a game during his two-year career. He was knocked out of his previous start after allowing career highs in hits (nine), runs (eight) and homers (three) in 3 2/3 innings in a 14-4 loss at Arizona.
鈥淭hroughout the week, you鈥檝e got to try and digest what happened, see where I can make adjustments, whether it was just game plan went wrong or just poor execution, or a little bit of both,鈥� Bradford said. 鈥淭hen you flush it.鈥�
Bradford was perfect through four innings before Alejandro Kirk opened the fifth with a smash back to the mound that caromed off Bradford鈥檚 left foot and rolled into right field for a single. It extended Kirk鈥檚 hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.
Spencer Horwitz鈥檚 double to left-center put runners on second and third with no outs before Bradford retired the next three batters.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider credited Bradford鈥檚 鈥渄eceptive fastball.鈥�
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e throwing 89, 92, you鈥檝e got to have pretty good deception with that at this level,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淜ept us off balance.鈥�
Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 31st save in 32 opportunities.
Francis, who took no-hitters into the ninth inning in two of his previous four starts, allowed a double to Marcus Semien, the Rangers鈥� first hitter of the game. He gave up five hits and one walk in six innings.
Francis has a 1.96 ERA in nine starts with 54 strikeouts and seven walks since being moved back into the starting rotation in late July.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 even want to get complacent, on cruise control,鈥� Francis said. 鈥淛ust keep attacking.鈥�
TRAINER鈥橲 ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was a late scratch with a right middle finger contusion suffered during infield practice. Schneider said the team will get back x-rays on Thursday. Bichette was activated Tuesday following a calf injury and played for the first time in two months, going 2 for 5 with one RBI at the plate. ... INF Will Wagner (left knee inflammation) will have the knee scoped on Thursday. Schneider said Wagner should be ready to start spring training. Wagner, son of former major leaguer Billy Wagner, was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline.
UP NEXT
Rangers rookie RHP Kumar Rocker (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will make his home debut against Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-11, 4.02) in the series finale. Rocker allowed one run in four innings at Seattle last Thursday in his major league debut.
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AP MLB:
The Associated Press
