Nathaniel Lowe had a home run and an RBI single among his three hits, Leody Taveras homered for the second game in a row and the Texas Rangers hung on to beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Jordan Lyles (7-11) won for the second time in three starts despite allowing solo homers to Sam Hilliard, C.J. Cron and Ryan McMahon. Lyles gave up six hits, struck out seven and walked one.
Cron and McMahon went deep back-to-back in the seventh inning after Lyles had retired 12 batters in a row. The three homers allowed by Lyles pushed his season total to a majors-high 36, two more than teammate Mike Foltynewicz.
Brett Martin, the second of three Texas relievers, came on with two on and one out in the eighth inning. The left-hander struck out Charlie Blackmon and got Cron to ground out to second base, and Spencer Patton then pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save in five opportunities.
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The Rangers have the worst record in the majors since the All-Star break at 12-30, but have won three games in a row. That is only one shy of their season-best winning streak.
The Rockies have lost the first two games of this three-game series after sweeping Texas three straight at home in early June.
Austin Gomber (9-9) allowed all four runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings, and hasn't won since Aug. 7. Gomber struck out two and walked six, one short of his career high.
Texas Rangers - World Series Champions
Lowe gave Texas a 1-0 lead with an opposite-field home run to left-center on Gomber's first pitch in the second. An inning later, he singled home Adolis Garcia after one of his career-high three walks.
Taveras hit a 3-2 pitch off the back wall of the home bullpen in right-center leading off the fourth inning for a 3-1 Texas lead. Before homering on Monday, the 22-year-old had four career homers in 53 games, all of them hit last season.
IN REMEMBRANCE
The Rangers cordoned off a section of the second deck beyond left field and draped 13 American flags throughout the seating in honor of the U.S. Mariners killed in Afghanistan last week. A moment of the silence was held before trumpeter Keith Scullin from nearby Alvarado High School played the national anthem.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (forearm tightness) threw a bullpen session and might start Thursday at home vs. Atlanta.
Rangers: Yonny Hernandez (hamstring tightness) was the designated hitter instead of playing second base.
UP NEXT
In Wednesday afternoon's series finale, Rangers RHP Kohei Arihara (2-3, 6.59 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start since having shoulder surgery in late May. Arihara is expected to throw 40-45 pitches. He will face Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (5-6, 4.17), who beat the Los Angeles Dodgers last Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings.
