Duran, Rangers Walk It Off Against Giants

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images

August 4, 2026

Rangers 5, Giants 4

ARLINGTON, Texas (Aug 4) — The Texas Rangers absolved themselves of their five-error game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday by beating them, 5–4, Tuesday. A walk-off double by Ezequiel Duran helped the Rangers even this three-game set and secure their fifth walk-off victory of the season. They’ll have the chance to win the series Wednesday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 pm Central at Globe Life Field. Lefties Carson Whisenhunt (2–2, 6.63 ERA) and Cody Bradford (First Appearance) will go at it in the series finale.

Rangers Strike Early

The Rangers took a 2–0 lead in the bottom of the first against righty Blade Tidwell. Joc Pederson led off with a walk. After Wyatt Langford popped to Christian Koss at third, Corey Seager reached on a single that was deflected to second off the glove of first baseman Rafael Devers. Pederson scored on a sharp double to right by Brandon Nimmo. On deck was Duran, who drove in Seager with a single to right.

The Giants got even in the top of the seventh against reliever Chase Silseth. He walked Drew Gilbert to open the frame. Moments later, Gilbert moved into scoring position by stealing his first base of the year. After Grant McCray and Nate Furman flied to center and grounded to first, respectively, Basabe stepped to the plate. On the first pitch he saw, he sent one over the wall in left to tie things at two all. It was Basabe’s third long ball of the season.

The Rangers regained their two-run lead in the bottom of the eighth with reliever JT Brubaker on the mound. Langford led off by drawing a free pass before Giants manager Tony Vitello brought in Reiver Sanmartin to relieve Brubaker. Back-to-back singles by Seager and Nimmo loaded the bases for Duran, who doubled up the middle. Seager and Langford scored on the play.

Walk-Off

The Giants tied it again in the top of the ninth with reliever Jacob Latz pitching. Gilbert hit a one-out single to left. McCray followed with a walk. Bryce Eldridge entered as a pinch-hitter for Furman. Gilbert and McCray advanced 90 feet on a passed ball by Latz. They both scored on a single to right by Eldridge.

Duran had his moment in the top of the ninth off reliever Dylan Smith. Jake Burger opened the stanza by lining a double to left. After Langford flied to right, Smith intentionally walked Seager to bring up Nimmo, who struck out swinging. That brought up Duran, who hit a fly ball over Jung Hoo Lee in right. Lee lost his balance and fell to the turf trying to catch it. Burger came around to score. His teammates mobbed him at the plate.

What Went Right for the Rangers

Ezequiel Duran has quietly been one of the Rangers’ feel-good stories all season. He is batting .278 with 13 homers, 63 RBI, and nine stolen bases. He’s made some great defensive plays and has provided offense when the Rangers have needed it most. He had three RBI hits on Tuesday, including the double in the ninth. He’s one of those players that often gets overlooked in a lineup, but he has had his share of big moments in 2026.

What Went Wrong for the Rangers

The Giants kept finding ways to keep pace with the Rangers in this one. There was the game-tying home run by Basabe in the seventh. Coincidentally, it was Bark in the Park night at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, and this homer got many of the 521 canines in attendance barking. The 26,959 humans in attendance did some barking as well. The Giants tied it again in the top of the ninth on the RBI base hit by Eldridge.

Leader in Starts

Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore made his team-leading 24th start of the season (tied-most in AL) but did not factor into the decision despite twirling six innings of scoreless ball. His final line was 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 99 pitches/62 strikes. Gore held Giants hitters 0-for-their-last-11, retiring seven straight and 10 of his final 11 to conclude the outing. He wiggled out of a first-and-second, no-outs jam in the second. The Giants were 0-for-7 off Gore with men on base, including 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Tuesday was Gore’s first time to hold opponents 0-for-7 or more with runners aboard in a game this season. The last time he did so was August 10, 2025 at the Giants as a member of the Washington Nationals. Batters went 0-for-11 with runners aboard that day.

The win went to Latz, improving his record to 3–1 with a 1.94 ERA. He tossed one inning, surrendering two runs, one earned, on two hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Tidwell’s Night

Giants starter Blade Tidwell allowed two runs over five innings in his first start with the Giants in 2026 and ninth appearance of the season. Tuesday marked his third career start in the majors. He totaled 100 pitches, his most in any professional outing since he was drafted in 2022 by the New York Mets. His previous high was 98 pitches, done twice. Both runs he ceded came during a laborious 32-pitch opening frame in which four of the first five Rangers reached against him. After Duran’s single made it 2-0, the right-hander retired 14 of the final 17 hitters he faced. Tidwell was recalled by the Giants on Monday after a three-month stint at Triple-A Sacramento. He carries a 3.18 ERA in the big leagues this year.

Schumaker’s Postgame Comments

After the game, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker couldn’t help praising Duran’s efforts. “He nicknamed himself ‘The Solution’ for a reason, and he’s no joke,” he quipped. “He really is [the Solution] at times. Zeke has been that the whole year. He brings the energy he brings daily. It’s real. That’s not fake. It’s not fluff. So again, with all these injuries that we’ve had, to have him do what he’s done has really kept us afloat where we’re at right now, and still within striking distance, so to speak. He’s a big reason why.”