The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Texas Rangers by a 7-3 final (box score) on Sunday afternoon, thereby taking the rubber game (and the three-game series) between the teams with the two best records in Major League Baseball. (The Rays had also won Friday's opener thanks to Isaac Paredes' pair of home runs and a strong outing from right-handed ace Tyler Glasnow.)
The Rays jumped ahead early on Sunday, scoring a pair of runs in the first and second innings behind timely hitting from Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes, as well as Taylor Walls and Harold Ramirez. (Paredes also played a key role in Tampa Bay's victory on Friday, during which he homered twice and drove in six runs in an 8-3 contest.) The Rangers would answer back in the third. Robbie Grossman socked a home run, and both Marcus Semien and Corey Seager drove in a run apiece to cut the deficit to 4-3. Texas would not score again.
The Rays, however, would add to their total in the fourth. Wander Franco launched a three-run shot, his eighth the season and his first since May 9. According to Statcast, Franco's home run had a 100.2 mph exit velocity and carried some 371 feet. Here's a look at the home run:
Left-handed ace Shane McClanahan recorded his second consecutive quality start and his fourth in his last five tries. He lasted seven innings on Sunday, surrendering three runs on four hits and a walk. He punched out five batters.
With the battle of MLB's best out of the way, the Rays will now hit the road for a two-city, seven-game west-coast trip. They'll kick off a four-game set against the Oakland Athletics on Monday night. The Rangers, for their part, will return home to host the Los Angeles Angels for four games.
