Diamondbacks lose to Rangers, drop 5th straight

PHOENIX — Nathaniel Lowe had three hits, Jose Trevino drove in three and the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 Wednesday to match a season high with their fourth straight win.

Last-place Texas matched a run from June 25-29, with both streaks coming on the road, where the Rangers are 20-51.

Arizona fell a season-low 50 games under .500 at 45-95. The Diamondbacks have lost five straight, all at home, and 10 of 11 overall.

Jharel Cotton (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the win. Joe Barlow, the eighth Rangers pitcher, got the last out for his fourth save.

David Peralta led off Arizona’s second inning with his eighth homer. Henry Ramos, making his first major-league start, followed with a single to left, moved up on an infield out and scored on Daulton Varsho’s double off left fielder DJ Peters’ glove.

Luke Weaver (3-4) retired his first nine Rangers batters, but Texas broke through with three runs while sending nine to the plate in the fourth.

Leody Taveras, who turned 23 on Wednesday, led off the fourth with a triple to the 413-foot sign in center and scored on Isaiah Kiner-Falefa’s bouncer to third. Lowe added an RBI triple and scored on Nick Solak’s infield grounder.

Texas loaded the bases before Weaver struck out pitcher Kohei Arihara on a curveball. Weaver threw 36 pitches in the first three innings and 33 in the fourth.

The Rangers piled on against the bullpen with two runs in the sixth and three in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo had an RBI double in the sixth, and Trevino plated two with a single during the eight.

Arizona’s Nick Ahmed hit his fifth homer in the ninth against DeMarcus Evans.

Both Arihara and Weaver were making their second starts after long stints on the injured list.

Arihara was initialy sidelined with an injured right finger and then had surgery for an aneurysm in his pitching shoulder. The 29-year-old right-hander is in his first MLB season after pitching six years for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham-Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League. Arihara gave up four hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings in his ninth start.

Weaver missed over three months with a right shoulder strain. He lasted five innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out four. In his previous start, he held San Diego to one run in six innings in the Diamondbacks’ most recent victory.

LONG BATTLE

Solak had a 16-pitch at-bat against Jake Faria during Texas’ two-run sixth inning. Faria got ahead 0-2, but Solak fouled off 10 pitches while working the count to 3-2. Solak hit a slow roller to short and beat it out for an infield hit.

WELCOME ABOARD

Brandyn Sittinger pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Diamondbacks in his major league debut. The 27-year-old right-hander, who pitched at Marshall, is the 62nd player to appear for Arizona this season and the 26th rookie, both franchise highs. Only the Cubs and Mets have used more players this season with 63.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Texas: OF Eli White had surgery on Wednesday for a UCL tear in his right elbow, the Rangers said. White’s recovery time is estimated at six months, which would have him returning sometime during spring training.

NEXT

Texas: Begins a series Friday in Oakland with RHP Glenn Otto (0-0, 1.86) facing A’s RHP Paul Blackburn (0-2, 4.12).

Arizona: Start a three-game series in Seattle on Friday. No starter has been announced.