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Tonight the Rangers led 1-0 one pitch into their first crack at the Rays as Shin-Soo Choo hit another leadoff dinger. Two batters later, the Rangers led 2-0. The Rangers followed that up by collecting just one more hit between the third batter of the game and the seventh inning.
In the meantime, the Rays put up five runs on Nick Martinez in just 4 1/3 innings of work.
Just when it looked like the Rangers wouldn't be able to do anything with the Rays deep in their bullpen for a second consecutive night, Texas found a little seventh inning magic of their own.
Last night, Erasmo Ramirez left the game in the third inning because he'd been forced to pitch in relief the night before. Tonight, Matt Andriese left the game with an injury in the second inning.
Unlike last night, however, it was the Rangers were able to come through with the hero being Big Bad Bat Flipping Elvis Andrus.
With two out and two on, Elvis came up in a 5-2 game and hit a no-doubter into the Rays' bullpen to tie the game.
Yes, Elvis Andrus, the guy who once went an entire season without hitting a home run, hit his seventh of 2017 already, and possibly has never hit one that impacted a game quite as much as the one tonight.
With new life, the Rangers scored four in the bottom of the eighth - including an Elvis two-run single - before Matt Bush closed things down in the ninth to give Texas a 9-5 win.
Player of the Game: The Big Bear did thangs.
Elvis finished the night going 3-for-5 with five RBIs, two runs scored, his game-tying home run and a double.
Up Next: The Rangers go for a series win against the Rays with Austin Bibens-Dirkx making a spot start for Texas opposite Tampa Bay ace Chris Archer. First pitch of the finale from The Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT.