ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Andrew Heaney struck out 11 without a walk while throwing two-hit ball over six innings, Mitch Garver and Adolis Garcia hit solo homers and the AL West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Josh Sborz and Aroldis Chapman each pitched an inning before Will Smith’s perfect ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances to wrap up the Rangers’ eighth shutout this season.
Garver, the starting catcher with All-Star Jonah Hein on the injured list, put the Rangers ahead with his sixth homer when he went deep off White Sox rookie right-hander Jesse Scholtens (1-4) in the fifth inning of the game that took only one hour, 58 minutes to play.
Garcia’s 26th homer, and AL-leading 85th RBI, came in the seventh.
Heaney (8-6) won his third consecutive decision over his last four starts.
Scholtens struck out six, walked one and hit a batter over his six innings. The starter and two relievers limited Texas to four hits — the two solo homers and two singles by All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien.
The Rangers (61-46) had lost seven of their previous nine games. They were coming off being swept in three games at San Diego over the weekend, during which they acquired three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton.
Chicago lost for the eighth time in 10 games while having only three hits and being held scoreless for the ninth time this season. The White Sox (43-65) on Tuesday traded infielder Jake Burger (25 home runs), part of six deals overall since last week when they also traded six pitchers.
LAST-MINUTE DEALS
The Rangers acquired C Austin Hedges from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for international bonus pool money just before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Texas was looking for depth behind the plate with Heim on the injured list with a strained tendon in his left wrist. Texas traded RHP Spencer Howard to the New York Yankees in exchange for cash considerations. … Chicago on Tuesday traded Kenyan Middleton to the Yankees for RHP Juan Carela, Burger to Miami for LHP Jake Eder and acquired RHP Luis Patino from Tampa Bay for cash considerations.
UP NEXT
Dane Dunning (8-4, 3.28 ERA) will start for the Rangers in the middle game of the three-game series. RHP Dylan Cease (4-4, 4.15), who is 1-1 over his last 11 starts, goes for the White Sox.
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