BALTIMORE — Josh Jung homered, Evan Carter reached base three times and the Texas Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is set for 4:07 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Carter had an RBI double, two walks and scored a run. The 21-year-old outfielder has reached base safely in 10 of 12 plate appearances this postseason to help Texas win all three games it has played.
Anthony Santander had a homer, single, walk and scored twice for Baltimore, the top seed in the AL playoffs.
Andrew Heaney started for the Rangers and allowed a run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings. Dane Dunning (1-0) allowed one run in two innings. Jose Leclerc pitched the ninth for the save. Gunnar Henderson led off the inning with a single but was caught stealing.
Orioles starter Kyle Bradish (0-1) gave up two runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and recorded nine of Baltimore’s 16 strikeouts.
The start of the game was delayed 73 minutes by rain.
Back-to-back doubles by Adolis Garcia and Carter with one out in the fourth inning gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead. Jonah Heim followed with a line drive single just beyond the reach of a diving Henderson at shortstop and the lead was 2-0. Nathaniel Lowe singled and, with two outs, Leody Tavares singled to load the bases, but Bradish struck out Marcus Semien to end the inning.
The Orioles answered in their half when Santander walked and came all the way around on Ryan Mountcastle’s double into the left-field corner. With two outs, Dunning came on and walked Aaron Hicks before getting pinch-hitter Adam Frazier to pop out.
With one out in the Texas sixth, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde brought in right-hander Jacob Webb to face righty Jung, who homered to center on a 1-1 fastball to make it 3-1.
Santander homered to right center with one out in the sixth to pull the Orioles within 3-2.
Austin Hays and Adley Rutschman drew walks against Aroldis Chapman leading off the eighth, but Santander grounded into a double play and Mountcastle struck out.
–Harvey Valentine, Field Level Media