Corey Seager's clutch 8th-inning double lifts the Rangers over the Tigers 2-0 on July 19, 2025, finally getting Texas back to .500 after seven failed attempts.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
For weeks, it felt like a curse. Seven straight times, the Texas Rangers played a game with a chance to get back to .500, and seven straight times they lost. On Saturday night, in a tense, scoreless duel, it looked like it might happen again. But then Corey Seager stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth, smashed a two-out, two-run double, and single-handedly lifted the Rangers to a 2-0 win and back to a 49-49 record for the first time in over a month.
Corey Seager's eighth-inning double not only won the game but also extended his on-base streak to 19 games, the longest by any Ranger this season.
The game was a classic pitcher's standoff for seven and a half innings. Patrick Corbin was masterful for the Rangers, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts, matching Tigers starter Reese Olson pitch for pitch. The bullpens held firm until the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Josh Smith drew a walk, setting the stage. Then, in a moment of pure electricity, Corey Seager ripped a double into the right-center gap off reliever Tommy Kahnle, breaking the deadlock and sending the Globe Life Field crowd into a frenzy.
Scoring the go-ahead run on Seager's hit was none other than Cody Freeman, making his Major League debut. Inserted as a pinch-runner, Freeman showed his speed and awareness, racing home from first to score the game's first and ultimately winning run. It's not often a player's first big league action directly leads to a victory, but Freeman provided the spark on the basepaths that the team desperately needed.
While Seager will get the headlines, the Rangers' pitching staff deserves immense credit. The combined effort of Corbin, winner Chris Martin, and closer Robert Garcia resulted in the team's 10th shutout of the season. They held the Tigers lineup to just four hits all night. Garcia was particularly sharp, nailing down his 7th save with a clean ninth inning to seal the hard-fought victory.
Let's not understate the importance of this win. Reaching .500 isn't a championship, but for a team that has been hovering just below for over a month, it's a massive psychological victory. After failing in their last seven attempts to even their record, finally breaking through feels like a potential turning point. It's a testament to the team's resilience and a sign that they might be ready to make a real second-half push.
The Rangers now have a chance to win the series and, more importantly, climb above .500 for the first time in what feels like an eternity. All eyes will be on rookie Kumar Rocker as he takes the mound tomorrow against Detroit's Keider Montero. Can the kids keep the momentum going? After a win like tonight's, Ranger fans have every reason to be optimistic.
