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France, DeGrom Lead Rangers Past Padres in 9-7 Thriller

Josh Jung and Corey Seager drove in key runs as the Texas Rangers overcame a wild first inning to defeat the San Diego Padres 9-7 at Globe Life Field.

Tessa Esparza

June 20, 20262 min read

MLBFinal
San Diego Padres7
Texas Rangers9

June 20, 2026

A Scoring Explosion in Arlington

The Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres combined for 16 runs in a game defined by early volatility and late hitting. The contest began with immediate offensive fireworks in the first inning, where both teams traded blows in a rapid-fire sequence that set a high-scoring tone for the remainder of the afternoon at Globe Life Field.

San Diego struck first when Sheets singled to right, allowing Tatis Jr. to score. However, the momentum shifted dramatically moments later when France launched a three-run home run to right field, measuring 363 feet. The blast extended the Rangers' lead to 5-0 before the Padres could respond. Nimmo doubled to center to score Pederson, bringing the score to 5-1. The inning continued to spiral as Osuna doubled to right, driving in Jung and Nimmo to make it 5-3. Burger followed with a double to left, scoring Duran and Osuna to tie the game at 5-5. The Padres took their first lead when Díaz reached on an infield single, scoring Burger to make it 6-5 San Diego.

DeGrom’s Dominance on the Mound

Despite the chaotic offensive display, Jacob deGrom stabilized the Rangers' pitching staff. Pitching for his home team, deGrom delivered a strong performance, striking out nine batters over six innings. He allowed six earned runs on six hits while walking three, ultimately earning the win and improving his record to 6-4. His ability to limit further damage after the initial onslaught was critical in keeping Texas in the game.

The Rangers regained the lead in the fourth inning when France hit his second home run of the day, a 409-foot shot to center field that tied the game at 6-6. Langford later scored on a double by Jung in the same frame, but the Padres quickly answered. Duran singled to center in the sixth to score Jung, giving San Diego a 8-6 advantage. The Padres added to their lead in the eighth when Sheets homered to right field, making it 9-6. Langford then hit a home run to left-center field, extending the Padres' lead to 9-7.

Closing Out the Victory

The Rangers mounted a final rally in the eighth inning. Sheets homered to right, cutting the deficit to 9-8. However, it was the Rangers' bullpen that secured the final outs. Jakob Junis pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one earned run, and Jacob Latz closed the game with 1.1 scoreless innings to earn his 13th save. The Rangers' offense had already secured the win earlier when they scored their ninth run, though the specific play for the final run is not detailed in the scoring summary provided.

The final score stood at 9-7 in favor of Texas. Randy Vasquez took the loss for San Diego, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing six earned runs. The Rangers improved their record to 36-39, while the Padres fell to 38-36. Attendance at Globe Life Field was 33,406.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401815818

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Tessa Esparza

Tessa Esparza covers Little Elm high school and area college sports.

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