ARLINGTON, Texas - Danny Jansen's night was scattered across the scoring summary: a fielder's choice, a double, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and an RBI that did not come with a clean hit.
The Rangers catcher went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and an RBI in Texas' 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday at Globe Life Field, per ESPN's box.
He drove in Wyatt Langford on a fielder's choice in the second - Langford scored while Nicky Lopez moved up on Andrés Giménez's throwing error - and later took a pitch off the body from Paul Sewald that forced in Brandon Nimmo during the sixth. ESPN lists his ninth double of the season and 23rd RBI.
Quiet production in two innings
Texas scored twice in the second without a base hit, the Associated Press reported, helped by a walk, a hit batter, the Giménez error and a José Soriano wild pitch that scored Lopez. Jansen's grounder into the force play was the RBI that made it 2-0 after Josh Jung's first-inning solo homer, Jung's 11th.
In the sixth, after Langford's RBI double and with the bases loaded, Jansen's hit-by-pitch pushed the lead to 5-1 before Evan Carter's sacrifice fly. Jansen did not score; he did keep the inning moving. Catchers who reach twice and drive in a run on a night of half-game West drama rarely lead the box score graphic. They still show up where the runs are counted.
Around the battery
Cal Quantrill lasted 1 1/3 innings before exiting with right lat tightness. Jordan Montgomery followed with 3 2/3 hitless innings for the win, then Nathan Eovaldi, Robert Garcia, Chase Silseth and Jacob Latz each worked an inning. Toronto managed six hits after Quantrill left and got a pinch-hit homer from Davis Schneider in the seventh.
Texas improved to 78-77, a half-game ahead of Houston (77-78) for the first sole AL West lead since late August. The Rangers also own a winning record for the first time since before Aug. 11, the AP noted. Toronto fell to 76-79. Soriano (12-8) took the loss.
