ARLINGTON, Texas (July 26, 2025) — In a night defined by resilience, Marcus Semien provided the final exclamation point. After taking a fastball to the helmet in the third inning, the Texas Rangers second baseman stayed in the game and later delivered the walk-off RBI single in the 10th, lifting the Rangers to a dramatic 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night at Globe Life Field.

The win marked Texas’ fifth straight and sealed a series sweep over a struggling Braves squad, whose frustrations were compounded by missed opportunities and a blown save in the ninth inning.

Semien’s Redemption Swing

In the bottom of the 10th, with the automatic runner at second, Atlanta opted to intentionally walk Corey Seager to start the inning. That brought up Semien, who wasted no time slicing a solid single up the middle off Enyel De Los Santos (3-3), sending Travis Jankowski home and the Rangers dugout spilling onto the field in celebration.

Just seven innings earlier, Semien had been struck on the ear flap of his helmet by a 94.6 mph heater from Braves reliever Grant Holmes. The impact drew gasps from the crowd, but Semien shook it off, stayed in the game, and later crossed the plate in a key third-inning rally.

Braves Rally Falls Short

The Braves (44-60) took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth when Michael Harris II ripped an opposite-field triple — his fourth hit of the night — and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Sean Murphy. Harris was Atlanta’s sparkplug all game long, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a homer, a double, a pair of triples, and three runs scored.

But the Braves bullpen faltered again. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed a one-out walk to Josh Jung, who was replaced by pinch-runner Sam Haggerty. Haggerty promptly stole second and scored the tying run on a double by Jonah Heim, handing Iglesias his fifth blown save of the season in 16 chances.

Rangers Respond to Adversity

Texas (56-50) led 4-2 in the third inning thanks to a two-run single by Adolis García, which came just after the hit-by-pitch incident involving Semien. Seager, who extended his on-base streak to 25 games with a single earlier in the frame, scored alongside Semien, providing the initial cushion.

The Braves chipped away, tying the game at 4-4 in the sixth with a solo homer from Harris — his eighth of the season. Still, the Rangers bullpen bent but didn’t break, with Shawn Armstrong (4-3) earning the win after tossing two scoreless innings to close the night.

Game-Changing Replay

The tone of the evening could’ve been drastically different had it not been for a successful Texas challenge in the first inning. With Atlanta threatening a 2-0 lead after Ozzie Albies singled, Matt Olson appeared to score from second. But a pinpoint throw from García and an alert tag by Heim revealed on replay that Olson’s right leg hovered above home plate just as Heim applied the tag — a pivotal call that prevented further early damage.

Notable Performances

• Marcus Semien: Game-winning RBI, scored a run, stayed in after being hit in the helmet.

• Michael Harris II: 4-for-4, HR, 2 triples, 1 double, 3 runs.

• Jonah Heim: RBI double in the ninth to tie the game.

• Corey Seager: 1-for-3, two walks, extended on-base streak to 25 games.

What’s Next

The Rangers now enjoy a much-needed day off before beginning a key divisional series against the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Atlanta, meanwhile, heads home looking to regroup before hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks.

For Texas, Saturday night was a testament to grit, timely hitting, and a refusal to back down — even when your star second baseman takes a heater to the head.