ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Josh Smith homered and scored all three Texas runs in his fifth consecutive two-hit game to help the Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Friday night.
The leadoff hitter had a single in the first and scored on Corey Seager’s sacrifice fly. Smith’s seventh homer was a 396-foot drive to right-center in the third, then he walked ahead of Marcus Semien’s RBI double that made it 3-0 in the fifth.
Smith was 2 for 3 with a walk and is hitting .435 (10 for 23) during a career-best streak of five multihit games.
Jacob Webb (4-3), the second of seven pitchers in a bullpen game for the Rangers, worked two innings for the victory as they won for the fifth time in six games. Robert Garcia loaded the bases in the ninth before closing out his fifth save in seven chances.
White Sox starter Adrian Houser (2-2) allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked four.
Shawn Armstrong started for Texas and struck out five while retiring all nine batters the first three innings. His season highs before Friday were seven batters faced and three strikeouts.
Luis Robert was the first White Sox hitter to reach base, on an infield single with two outs in the fifth when he was initially called out before a replay challenge. He also had an RBI double in the seventh.
Key moment
The White Sox had a run in and two on in the seventh when Texas reliever Chris Martin retired the only two batters he faced.
Key stat
Seager is 4 for 45 (.089) with 15 strikeouts in 13 games since returning from the injured list May 28. But he has drawn a walk in a career-best eight games in a row after two more free passes.
Up next
Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (6-2, 2.12 ERA) has allowed two runs over fewer in each of his last 10 starts The White Sox hadn’t announced who will start for them Saturday.