Texas Rangers Alejandro Osuna (left) and Ezekial Duran (second from left) and the rest of the Rangers celebrate Duran’s run scoring walk off double in the last of the ninth innning to defeat the San Francisco Giants at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Tue Aug 4, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
It was the Texas Rangers (56-58) who jumped up on the scoreboard early in game Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington taking a 2-0 run lead in the first inning. While San Francisco (48-66) had some opportunities their offense was sluggish through the next four innings.
The Giants starting pitcher Blade Tidwell turned his nervous start around after the opening inning taking control and pitching nicely. The Giants kept the Rangers off the scoreboard for the next four innings but needed some production at the plate.
San Francisco was able to tie up the game in the seventh inning. The Rangers took back the lead in the eighth inning 4-2. San Francisco was not finished again tying up the game in the top of the ninth inning 4-4.
The Giants were three outs away from extra innings. The Rangers Ezequiel Duran hit a deep ball into the outfield that Jung Hoo Lee was unable to track and Jake Burger scored for the Texas walk-off 5-4.
GAME RECAP
Ranger’s pitcher MacKenzie Gore got a nice start for the team giving up a Willy Adames single but not much else. It was a busy bottom of the first for the Rangers scoring two runs.
Starting pitcher for San Francisco Blade Tidwell had a bit of a bumpy start giving up two runs giving the Rangers the first lead of the game. Tidwell gave up a walk, a couple of single and a double.
With two runners on base Brandon Nimmo doubled lead-off batter Joc Peterson home for the first run followed by Ezequiel Duran who singled Seager home for the 2-0 lead.
San Francisco had a opportunity in the top of the second. Daniel Susac doubled followed by a Buddy Kennedy walk and the Giants had two riunners on base with no outs. Gore got the next two strikeouts and Christian Koss grounded out to end the inning. Tidwell had a three and out in the bottom of the inning.
The Giants again got a couple of runners on base in the top of the third. Jung Hoo Lee who has been playing really well hit a double and Rafael Devers walked but they had two outs. Susac grounded out to end the inning for San Francisco. Tidwell had another terrific inning only giving up a single and this game was really moving along going into the fourth inning.
With the exception of the first inning, Tidwell had really reigned it in and had relaxed and settled in nicely. He had some opening trouble locating his pitches resulting in the two early Ranger runs but had turned things around. He gave up a single in the bottom of the fourth but easily got out of the inning and it was on to the fifth inning.
Going into the fifth inning San Francisco needed to make some offensive noise. It didn’t happen in the fifth with Gore closing out the top of the inning with only eight pitches going three and out.
The Rangers had a single in the bottojm of the fifth but Tidwell closed out the inning. It was getting later in the game but San Francisco still had plenty of time to make up the 2-run deficit.
The sixth inning was a three and out for Gore and Jason Foley who had relieved starting pitcher Tidwell. The Giants badly needed to make a move with only three innings left in the game.
The Giants made their move in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run home run off the bat of Osleivis Basabe who has been crushing the ball this past week. Drew Gilbert had walked earlier in the inning and just like that we had a new ball game 2-2. JT Brubaker relieved Foley in the bottom of the seventh inning going three and out.
The Giants Willy Adames, Rafael Devers, and Daniel Susac all struck out in the top of the eighth inning. The Rangers were looking to make a move in the bottom of the eighth. With Wyatt Langford on first and no outs Corey Seager singled. Brandon Nimmo came to the plate hitting another single and the Rangers had the bases loaded.
Ezequiel Duran answered with a double driving in Langford and Seager taking back the lead 4-2. The Giants intentionally walked Elias Diaz and again Texas had the bases loaded with two outs. Adrian Houser relieved Reiver Sanmartin who pitched 2/3 of the inning allowing the two runs. Houser got out of the inning that had proven to be disastrous.
It all came down to the top of the ninth inning, The Giants were down to their last three outs and were facing an excellent closer Jacob Latz who is known to be very stingy when it comes to the long ball.
Drew Gilbert singled followed by a Grant McCray walk and the Giants had a couple of runners on base with only one out. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. It would be up to Brent Eldridge and he got the job done hitting a single that drove both Gilbert and McCray home and this game was again tied 4-4.
Now the Giants would have fight their way to extra innings. Dylan Smith would take the mound facing the top of the Rangers lineup. Jake Burger doubled, Wyatt Langford flied out and Corey Seager was intentionally walked.
Brandon Nimmo struck out and San Francisco had a huge second out. Ezequiel Duran was the last hope for the Rangers. He hit a deep ball into the outfield that Lee was unable to track and that was the ball game, The Rangers had the walk-off winning game two 5-4 tying up the series.
GAME NOTES
The Giants got an ideal start Monday taking the lead early beating the Rangers 5-1. They would be looking to replicate the early lead and the timely hits that they had in Monday’s game but for Tuesday falling one run short in the second game of the three game series.
This was an unfortunate loss for the San Francisco Giants unable to protect the late tie. Texas came up with the bigger hits in the final two innings. Again the Giants fell behind early and the offense was quiet for the first six innings of the game.
The San Francisco bullpen just couldn’t hold the tie. The Giants had a couple of great rallies but Texas pushed across the winning run in bottom of the ninth for the walk-off. The Giants did lose the game but showed a lot of fight coming back from the 2-0 deficit and tying up this game twice. The problem was that they didn’t get enough offense until late in the game and their bullpen couldn’t shut the door when the game was tied.
It was an impressive outing for Tidwell once he got through the first inning. It appeared that his nerves got the best of him but he turned it all around in the next four innings. He really calmed down and pitched really well. He finished five innings allowing six hits, two earned runs, one walk with three strikeouts.
The Rangers Mackenzie Gore had a great outing going six innings. He allowed only three hits, no runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
Wednesday the Giants will be looking to take the series in game three. Carson Whisenhunt will take the mound for San Francisco. He has a 2-2 win/loss record and a 6.63 ERA. Right now the Rangers are undecided as to who will pitch tomorrow. First pitch for game three is scheduled for 11:35 AM\.