Ketel Marte’s late homer propels Diamondbacks to series win over Rangers

Ketel Marte ripped a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied to stun the Texas Rangers 6-4 on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Marte’s home run off Phil Maton (2-4) was his fourth hit of the game and drove in Blaze Alexander (who was hit by a pitch) and Geraldo Perdomo, who had walked. James McCann began the rally with a two-out solo home run as the Diamondbacks scored four runs with two outs in the final frame to capture their second straight series.
It was Marte’s second game-winning homer in as many nights. He homered in the ninth on Tuesday as well to lift Arizona to a 3-2 comeback win. John Curtiss (2-0) pitched the eighth for the Diamondbacks and Andrew Saalfrank retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his first career save.
Texas dropped the final two games of this set and finished its nine-game homestand with just three victories. Jake Burger had a two-run home run among his two hits while Evan Carter also had two of the Rangers’ seven hits.
Texas jumped to the lead in its first at bat when Carter, who was activated from the 10-day injured list just prior to the game, singled home Josh Smith after he opened the frame with a single.
The Diamondbacks answered in the third with a two-out rally as Perdomo walked and stole second base before Marte drove him in with a single to left field that tied the game at 1-1.
Carter was also a huge part of the Rangers’ next uprising, beginning the fourth with a double and then trotting home in front of Burger after the latter smashed his two-run homer.
Arizona trimmed its deficit to 3-2 in the fifth on a Perdomo solo home run to right center field. The Diamondbacks pushed to tie the game in the inning as Marte and Corbin Carroll singled, but Marte was thrown out at home on Adrian Del Castillo’s single to right to end the inning.
After that, the Diamondbacks did not have a hit and had just one baserunner until McCann homered with two outs in the ninth to cut the Texas lead to one run. That opened the floodgates and led to Arizona’s stunning win.