Elvis Andrus drove in three runs with four hits, including a homer, and the Texas Rangers beat the Atlanta Braves 12-8 on Wednesday to spoil the major league debut of Luiz Gohara.
Gohara (0-1), a 21-year-old native of Brazil, allowed six runs in four innings in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. The lefty gave up four hits, walked four and struck out six.
Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer off Braves reliever Matt Wisler in the fifth.
The early afternoon game of the doubleheader was scheduled when Tuesday night's game was postponed by rain. There were 19,971 tickets distributed, but it appeared that only a few hundred fans were in the stands.
Andrus, who began his career in the Braves' organization, hit a homer over the 400-foot mark on the center field wall in the first. It was the 20th homer of the season, including four in the last three games, for Andrus, whose previous career high was eight in 2016.
Matt Kemp and Ender Inciarte hit homers off Rangers starter Miguel Gonzalez, who allowed four runs in three innings. Inciarte had three hits.
Austin Bibens-Dirkx (5-2) threw three scoreless innings in relief of Gonzalez.
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Matt Adams hit a run-scoring double off Tyson Ross in the ninth and scored on a single by Rio Ruiz. Alex Claudio replaced Ross and got David Freitas on a game-ending groundout.
Andrus has 23 stolen bases. The only other Rangers shortstop to have at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season was Toby Harrah, in 1975 and 1977.
Gohara lost a 4-2 lead in the fourth, when he was hurt by walks to Joey Gallo and Napoli. Brett Nicholas hit an RBI double and pinch-hitter Will Middlebrooks followed with a tying, two-run triple. Middlebrooks scored on a wild pitch to give Texas a 5-4 lead.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves rookie catcher Freitas had two hits in his third start. C Tyler Flowers (wrist contusion) could come off the DL this weekend. ... OF-IF Danny Santana was placed on the 60-day DL with a strained left quad. He came off the 10-day DL on Tuesday before it was determined he aggravated the injury in his minor league rehab.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Following a day off Thursday, LHP Martin Perez (11-10, 4.87) will start when Texas opens a three-game home series against the Yankees on Friday night.
Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (2-8, 4.31) will start when the Braves begin a four-game series against Miami on Thursday night. Newcomb allowed three runs in six innings in a 5-0 loss to the Marlins on June 16.
