ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Nomar Mazara keeps driving in runs, and it’s helping the Texas Rangers climb in the AL wild-card race.
Mazara had five RBIs, including a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Rangers held on to beat the Chicago White Sox 9-8 on Thursday night.
The Rangers (60-60) reached .500 for the first time since July 15 with their fourth straight win and seventh in eight games. The defending AL West champs, out of the division race behind Houston, pulled 1 1/2 games behind the idle Los Angeles Angels for the AL’s second wild card.
“I trust what I got and the team’s been rolling right now,” said Mazara, who has 25 RBIs in his past 19 games and 82 for the season. “We’re putting a lot of good at-bats together. When I go up to the plate I don’t try to do too much, stay as calm as possible.”
Mazara’s 16th home run capped the Rangers’ second four-run inning, which included two injury replacements on the mound for the White Sox in their fifth straight loss. Chicago, carrying the AL’s worst record, dropped to 7-24 since the All-Star break.