ARLINGTON, Texas (July 23, 2025) — Sometimes, the biggest moments come from the most unlikely swings.
Jonah Heim’s two-out bloop double in the seventh inning dropped between two converging Oakland defenders, plating Wyatt Langford all the way from first base and delivering the Texas Rangers a 2-1 win over the Athletics at Globe Life Field on Wednesday night. The victory completed a three-game sweep and extended the Rangers’ win streak to four.
Heim didn’t even crack a smile after the game-winning hit. In fact, the Rangers catcher looked visibly frustrated with his swing as he trotted up the first-base line—until he realized no one had caught the ball.
“I thought it was a routine out,” Heim said. “Sometimes, the game gives you one. I’ll take it.”
Key Sequence: A Slice of Fortune
With the game tied 1-1 in the seventh, rookie Jack Perkins was working through a gritty inning. With two outs and Langford on first, Heim sliced a high, looping fly ball toward shallow left field. Shortstop Jacob Wilson drifted back while left fielder Tyler Soderstrom charged in. Confusion followed as the two collided near the outfield grass. The ball fell untouched behind Wilson, and Langford never hesitated, scoring from first to put the Rangers in front for good.
Heim was credited with a double. The bloop hit might not make the highlight reels, but it proved to be the difference in a tightly contested pitcher’s duel.
Pitching Duel Defines the Night
Rangers starter Patrick Corbin delivered a solid outing, tossing five innings of scoreless ball while allowing just three hits and striking out four. But it was Jon Gray who picked up the win in his season debut, returning from a fractured arm suffered in spring training.
Gray (1-0) showed no signs of rust in his two innings of work, yielding just one hit and retiring six of the seven batters he faced. The veteran right-hander’s return brings much-needed depth back to a Rangers rotation that has battled injuries all season.
“That felt great,” Gray said. “Just to be back out there in a real game, in this stadium—it meant a lot.”
Robert Garcia closed the door in the ninth, notching his eighth save of the season with a clean inning, striking out two to preserve the narrow victory.
Seager Stays Hot
Corey Seager opened the scoring in the third inning with a solo home run to dead center, his 15th of the season. The blast came on a full-count fastball from Perkins and extended Seager’s on-base streak to 24 games—the longest active streak in the American League.
The Rangers shortstop continues to be a steady force in the lineup, consistently producing in key moments and flashing his trademark power to all fields.
A’s Struggles Continue
Oakland managed just five hits on the night and saw their losing streak grow to four. They tied the game briefly in the sixth when Brent Rooker broke an 0-for-15 slump with a two-out single and came around to score on Nick Kurtz’s double down the right-field line. But the offensive momentum was short-lived.
Perkins (0-1), making his MLB debut, took the loss despite a solid outing that included five strikeouts over two innings. The seventh-inning miscommunication on Heim’s flare cost him and the A’s dearly.
“It’s a tough one,” said A’s manager Mark Kotsay. “It’s a play we have to make. But it’s on all of us.”
Looking Ahead
With the sweep complete, the Rangers (60-43) will stay home to begin a weekend series against the AL West-leading Houston Astros. First pitch is set for Friday at 7:05 p.m. The A’s (33-71) continue their road trip with a visit to Kansas City.
In a game dominated by pitching and defense, it was a misplayed pop-up that ultimately made the difference. And for the Rangers, who’ve made a habit of capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes, it was just another way to win.
