ARLINGTON, Texas — Adrian Beltre’s single scored two runs in the eighth to send the Texas Rangers to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.
The RBIs were Nos. 1,537 for Beltre, who tied Joe DiMaggio for 47th all-time. The Texas third baseman, hitting .411 with five RBIs in his last four games, hit the second pitch he saw off right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino into center to score Mitch Moreland and Shin-Soo Choo.
Texas left-handed reliever Jake Diekman (3-1) earned the victory. Right-hander Matt Bush pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save for the Rangers, who have won five consecutive games, including three against the Rockies in this interleague series. The first two were played in Denver.
Boone Logan (1-2) suffered the loss after being tagged for two unearned runs.
Elvis Andrus struck out to start the Rangers’ eighth, but Moreland reached on an error by Mark Reynolds, the Rockies first baseman. Logan then hit Shin-Soo Choo to put runners on first and second with one out.
Ian Desmond, who had two RBIs, advanced the runners with a groundout to first, and Carlos Beltran was walked intentionally to load the bases for Beltre, who drove the ball past a diving Cristhian Adames at shortstop.
Both starting pitchers took no-decisions. Texas’ Martin Perez, vying for his first victory since June 26, extended his winless skid to eight games. The Texas lefty surrendered one run on four hits and two walks while striking out three over 52/3 innings in his first victory since June 26. During that stretch Perez was 0-4 with a 6.32 ERA. Perez pitched out of a jam in the first, giving up only one run, and retired seven of the last nine hitters he faced before giving up a base hit with two outs in the sixth.
Colorado lefty Jorge De La Rosa went five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out one, for the Rockies, who had lost two straight to Texas, both in Denver this week as part of an interleague series.
The Rangers took a 3-1 lead into the eighth riding Ian Desmond’s two RBIs and Jonathan Lucroy’s solo home run in the sixth.
The Rockies, though, touched up the Rangers bullpen, putting runners on first and second with one out off Texas right-handed reliever Keone Kela, who had given up only one run on two hits in his previous nine games before walking Nolan Arenado and allowing a base hit to Mark Reynolds.
David Dahl’s triple down the right-field line off Diekman scored both to tie the game.
Raburn’s sacrifice fly to left scored Dahl with the go-ahead run.
Dahl extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
The Rockies scored once on two hits and two Rangers errors in the first. Blackmon led off with an infield single and advanced to second on Perez’s throwing error. LeMahieu, the next hitter, drove him in with a base hit to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
Desmond answered with his first RBI in the second, a base hit to left that brought Jurickson Profar home. Desmond’s sacrifice fly to center in the fourth gave the Rangers a lead, as Elvis Andrus, who led off with a single, crossed the plate with Texas’ second run.
With two outs in the fifth, Lucroy hit a 2-1 pitch from De La Rosa over the center field wall.
NOTES: Following the recommendations of two surgeons, Texas DH Prince Fielder (neck surgery) formally announced his retirement before the game. “The doctors told me that with two spinal fusions, I can’t play major league baseball anymore,” Fielder said. … Texas activated OF Drew Stubbs from the 60-day disabled list and optioned OF Ryan Rua to Triple-A Round Rock. To make room on the 40-man roster, INF Kyle Kubitza was designated for assignment. … Texas RHP Colby Lewis (60-day DL) threw off the mound for the first time on Wednesday since going on the DL with a strained oblique. … Texas RHP Tanner Scheppers, who hasn’t pitched all season after knee surgery, threw live batting practice with no apparent issues, manager Jeff Banister said. … Colorado OF Carlos Gonzalez (ankle inflammation) was out of the lineup for a second straight game. Manager Walt Weiss said he was day-to-day.