Marcus Semien hit in helmet early, stays in and has walk-off hit in 10th for Rangers vs. Braves

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien stayed in the game after a 94.6 mph fastball hit the ear flap of his helmet while batting in the third inning against Atlanta on Saturday night. He scored right after that, then seven innings later ended it with a walk-off single.

“What a warrior effort,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “I mean, getting hit like that, there’s not too many guys that would have stayed in the game. You can’t take him out. Yeah, he’s just hardheaded.”

Semien turned his head down and avoided a direct shot to the face when he was unable to get out of the way of Grant Holmes’ pitch. Semien then twisted his body while grabbing at the left side of his face as he stumbled back and then laid flat on his back.

“Initially, I felt impact just on the side of my face,” Semien said. “If it got me without a helmet, it probably would have been way more painful. So eventually I got up and I was fine.”

After the teams traded runs in the ninth inning, Semien’s shot up the middle off Enyel De Los Santos (3-3) in the 10th gave the Rangers a 6-5 win after Atlanta intentionally walked Corey Seager to start the 10th. They won their fifth game in a row, and got their fourth series victory in a row.

Getting mobbed by his excited teammates at the end was a vast contrast to the scary scene in the third, when third base coach Tony Beasley immediately ran toward Semien while athletic trainer Matt Lucero and Bochy came out of the Rangers dugout.

After staying down for a few moments while talking to Lucero, Semien sat up and then eventually walked slowly to first base. After an extended conversation, including several more questions from the trainer, Semien stayed in the game even as he rubbed his left cheek.

“I didn’t think there was any chance he’d stay in the game. ... I just assumed that he was coming out the game,” Bochy said.

Holmes appeared distraught while Semien was down, and got a visit from pitching coach Rick Kranitz as the Rangers were tending to their second baseman. Holmes was unavailable after the game, when the Braves said he was headed to the injured list with elbow tightness.

When play resumed, Holmes went to a 3-0 count on Adolis García, the next batter, including a wild pitch that allowed Corey Seager and Semien to advance a base. Both scored on García’s single to right for a 4-2 lead.

Semien took the field when the Rangers went back on defense in the fourth, and batted again in the bottom of the inning. That at-bat ended with him slamming his helmet after his hard shot up the middle deflected off Holmes and to second baseman Ozzie Albies for what turned into an inning-ending out with the bases loaded after another walk by Seager.

“Whenever they walk Corey, I want to come through,” Semien said. “I was just mad that ball didn’t kick further and, you know, bases loaded. But I was just pretty angry to get hit in the face and then not get any hits. ... I was happy to at least get one hit.”

The one that won the game.

“Just fitting that he came up there in that situation,” Bochy said.

“It’s going to take a lot for him to come out of the lineup and I’m sure glad he’s in it,” said Shawn Armstrong, the fourth Rangers pitcher working the final two innings. “It’s a lot of fun playing with him.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Texas Rangers' Marcus Semien, center front, and Corey Seager, center rear, celebrate with teammates after they scored on an Adolis Garcia single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers athletic trainer Matt Lucero, left, third base coach Tony Beasley (27) and manager Bruce Bochy, right, check on Marcus Semien (2) after Semien was hit by a pitch in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The Texas Rangers celebrate after a run-scoring single by Marcus Semien in the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers' Marcus Semien follows through on a run-scoring single as Atlanta Braves' Drake Baldwin, center, and umpire Mike Estabrook, right, look on in the 10th inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers' Marcus Semien, center front, and Corey Seager, center rear, celebrate with teammates after they scored on an Adolis Garcia single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers athletic trainer Matt Lucero, left, third base coach Tony Beasley (27) and manager Bruce Bochy, right, check on Marcus Semien (2) after Semien was hit by a pitch in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--

Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading developer and operator of microsatellites dedicated to realizing its vision of “Space within Your Reach,” has made a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jethi Software Development PLC (“Jethi”), an Ethiopian technology company, to cooperate on addressing social and development challenges through the utilization of satellite-based Earth observation (EO) data.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114413353/en/

The MoU was signed by Naol Debele, Chief Executive Officer of Jethi, and Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace. The signing ceremony, held in Ethiopia on January 13 (local time), was attended by representatives of the Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI) of Ethiopia, members of the Jethi Board of Directors and invited guests, in an official and protocol capacity.

Axelspace positions the expansion of EO data utilization in emerging markets, including Africa, as a key medium- to long-term strategic priority. Through this collaboration, Axelspace aims to support locally driven, data-informed solutions.

Under the MoU, Axelspace will provide EO data and know-how for its utilization across priority sectors, including agriculture, environmental and forest conservation, disaster risk management and climate resilience, urban planning and infrastructure development. Jethi will lead the establishment of a local framework for EO data utilization in Ethiopia, coordinating with relevant stakeholders to integrate satellite data with local information and institutional requirements. The partnership aims to identify priority challenges, develop scalable solutions that combine EO data with local information, and foster the growth of a sustainable ecosystem for satellite data utilization in Ethiopia.

Axelspace is participating in the “Emerging Countries Working Group”, which was launched in 2024 by Cross U, a general incorporated association, to promote space business co-creation between Japan and African countries.

“With the economic development of emerging countries, including those in Africa, the demand for satellite data utilization is expected to increase significantly,” said Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace. “We will work to build win-win relationships that create new value with local public and private sector partners, leveraging Japan’s advanced technological capabilities and expertise to contribute to the long-term development of a platform for satellite data utilization.”

For the full press release, please visit: https://www.axelspace.com/news/mou_ethiopia/

Naol Debele, Chief Executive Officer of Jethi (left), and Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace, at the signing ceremony on January 13 in Ethiopia