Mazara, Guzman fuel 5-run 4th with homers
Rangers DH hits first in 12 games; 1B goes deep in 3rd straight game of series
ARLINGTON -- The home runs kept coming for the Rangers on Wednesday night. Nomar Mazara and Ronald Guzman both went deep in the fourth inning and helped spur the Rangers to a 12-10 victory over the Yankees at Globe Life Park.
"We were just having good at-bats," Mazara said. "When you are playing a team like that, they hit the ball so hard, you just have to stay engaged. We want to beat those guys, so we just kept having good at-bats."
The Rangers have hit multiple home runs in three straight games and had seven during the three-game series with the Yankees. But Mazara's home run was his first in the past 12 games.
The Rangers trailed, 4-0, with one out in the fourth against Yankees starter Carsten Sabathia when Mazara hit a two-run shot into the home bullpen in right-center.
For Mazara, it was his first home run since going deep twice against the Tigers on May 9. He had seven home runs in the first nine games of May, then none until Wednesday.
The home run had an exit velocity of 110.6 mph and a projected distance of 404 feet. Mazara has 11 home runs this season, and seven have had an exit velocity of 110 mph or greater. That passes Joey Gallo for the most in the Major Leagues. The Rangers have 16 such homers overall, the second most in the Majors behind the Yankees, who have 21.
"That was a laser, that was a rocket," Guzman said. "You see guys do that, it pumps you up."
Apparently so. Guzman delivered his third home run in the past three games when he smashed a three-run shot down the right-field line with two outs in the inning. Guzman was 5-for-10 with three home runs in the series against the Yankees.
"I'm still not a home run hitter, I promise you," Guzman said. "I'm definitely seeing the ball better, and I have a better approach at the plate. I feel like I know what I am doing."
Guzman had home runs in the first two games against the Yankees, but this was the first of his career against a left-hander. He was 1-for-10 against left-handers going into that at-bat. But manager Jeff Banister said prior to the game that he is starting to have confidence in using Guzman against left-handers. The Rangers face two more on Thursday and Friday in the Royals' Danny Duffy and Eric Skoglund.