ST PETERSBURG — Cuban Adolis Garcia and Evan Carter hit home runs to support Nathan Ewaldi’s career, and the Texas Rangers beat the harmless Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 on Wednesday to win this American League wild-card series.
Garcia and Carter, a 20-year-old rookie who became the second-youngest player in franchise history in the postseason, hit home runs against Zach Eflin, who hit 16 games into the season, though they couldn’t keep the team going. Tampa Bay Season.
Texas advances to a division series against American League East champion Baltimore on Saturday. The Rays’ scoreless streak reached 33 innings, one shy of the postseason record set by the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1966 to 74.
Curtis Mead broke it off with an RBI single in the seventh inning.
Texas has not won a postseason series since 2011, when the Rangers reached the World Series, in which they lost to St. Louis.
For the Rangers, Cuba Garcia went 1-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Dominican Leodi Taveras went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
For Rays, Cuban Yandy Diaz is 4-1. Mexico’s Randy Arosarena 4-1. Colombian Hanley Ramirez 4-1, Isaac Paredes 4-1. Dominicans Manuel Margot 4-1, Junior Caminero 1-0. Venezuela Rene Pinto 3-0.
