Johnston and Norby hit back-to-back homers in sixth to push Marlins past slumping Rangers, 4-3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Troy Johnston and Connor Norby hit back-to-back solo home runs with two outs in the sixth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the slumping Texas Rangers 4-3 on Saturday night.

Johnston also had an RBI single for the Marlins (75-80), who have won five consecutive games and 10 of their last 13.

Rookie Cade Gibson (4-5) pitched two innings to earn the win. Calvin Faucher’s 15th save came despite allowing a leadoff homer to Kyle Higashioka in the ninth. Faucher left runners on second and third.

The Rangers (79-76) have dropped six straight, matching their longest losing streak of the season. They were eliminated from the AL West race and are five games out in the wild-card race.

Johnston pulled a first-pitch curve by rookie Jack Leiter (9-10) just over the right-field fence to snap a 2-all tie. Norby then pulled a 1-0 slider just over the left-field wall.

Marlins rookie starter Adam Mazur gave up the two runs in four innings in his sixth try for his first win this season.

Eric Wagman hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth for the Marlins to score Norby.

Three of Texas’ eight hits came in the third, including consecutive RBI singles by Alejandro Osuna and Rowdy Tellez.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was ejected in the eighth inning after arguing with plate umpire Cody Freeman.

Johnston’s first-pitch homer came after Leiter retired the first two batters of the sixth on seven pitches.

The Marlins are 39-38 on the road (36-42 at home) as they try to finish with a winning road record for the third time in franchise history.

Sunday afternoon's series finale will match Marlins RHP Eury Pérez (7-5, 4.40 ERA) against Rangers RHP Merrill Kelly (12-8, 3.46).

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Miami Marlins assistant pitching coach & assistant pitching director Alon Leichman gestures signs toward catcher Agustín Ramírez during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Marlins assistant pitching coach & assistant pitching director Alon Leichman gestures signs toward catcher Agustín Ramírez during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, right, is presented with the Rangers' Roberto Clemente Award nomination by former Ranger Elvis Andrus prior to a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas Rangers' Rowdy Tellez watches his ball as he collects an RBI single to score Joc Pederson during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Marlins' Connor Norby is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Marlins' Troy Johnston reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media that the U.S. Coast Guard had boarded the Motor Tanker Veronica early Thursday. She said the ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, it was partially filled with crude.

The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for moving cargoes of illicit Russian oil.

As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear that they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture and the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, not the Galileo.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)