Rangers falter in AL West chase, lose to Twins 10-2 as deGrom matches high by allowing 8 earned runs

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jacob deGrom matched a career high by allowing eight earned runs on Friday and the Texas Rangers stumbled again in the AL West race with a 10-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Texas (79-81) began the night tied with Houston, which has the tiebreaker. The Astros played at the Athletics later Friday,

Given a 2-0 lead, deGrom (11-11) gave up six runs in the second inning and two more in the fourth. He allowed eight hits and three walks while striking out five over four innings. It's the fourth time deGrom has allowed eight earned runs in a game.

Luke Keaschall had four hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in three runs for the Twins. Kody Clemens went 3 for 4 and hit his team-leading 27th homer of the season in the sixth inning.

Twins starter Joe Ryan (7-10) allowed two runs and four hits with eight strikeouts over six innings.

Corey Seager hit an RBI single and Wyatt Langford a run-scoring grounder as Rangers took advantage of two hit batters in the first inning.

Royce Lewis hit a tying, two-run single in the second game, and Ryan Kreidler brought home the go-ahead run with a safety squeeze bunt that turned into a single when nobody covered first base. Keaschall tripled in two more runs before scoring on a deGrom wild pitch.

Texas designated hitter Josh Jung was hit by a pitch on his right hand. He stayed in the game and scored the Rangers' second run, then was replaced by a pinch hitter in the third inning.

Twins RHP Bailey Ober (7-6, 4.21 ERA) starts Saturday against a pitcher to be determined.

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