Ketel Marte has 3 RBIs to earn big cheers from Chase Field crowd, Diamondbacks beat Rangers 9-1

PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte had two doubles and three RBIs to please the Chase Field crowd, Corbin Carroll added a two-run homer and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Texas Rangers 9-1 on Friday night.

Marte’s performance came less than two weeks after he was booed by the home fans Aug. 31 in his return from the injured list. The three-time All-Star missed 13 games after an unexpected no-show before a game in Boston, leading to days of confusion about his health and frame of mind.

The veteran second baseman eventually apologized for how he handled the situation. He received mostly cheers before Friday’s game and the crowd roared in approval after his two doubles.

It was a much-needed breakout from Arizona's offense, which was averaging less than three runs per game so far in September. The D-backs are locked in a tight battle with the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild card.

The D-backs scored four runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth to take a 9-1 lead. Marte had a two-run double in the fourth while Carroll and Arenado had back-to-back homers in the sixth.

It was Carroll's 20th home run of the season and the fourth straight season he's gone deep at least 20 times.

Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly gave up one run over 4 1/3 innings. Reliever Justin Martinez threw an immaculate inning in the sixth, retiring Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Jake Burger on nine pitches.

Texas left-hander Mackenzie Gore (8-11) gave up four runs over four innings. The Rangers fell to 72-76 and are three games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL wild card.

The Rangers took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on Joc Pederson's RBI double to right field.

The D-backs send RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-2, 3.53 ERA) to the mound Saturday night to face Rangers RHP Kumar Rocker (5-11, 4.61).

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Texas Rangers'Jake Burger, right, challenges a called third strike by home plate umpire Brian Walsh, left, as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno pauses at home plate, before the called was overturned, during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, right, celebrates a run scored by Diamondbacks' Ryan Waldschmidt (15) during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore pauses at the pitcher's mound after giving up a two-run double to Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte connects for a two-run double against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rookies Joshua Báez and Leo Bernal each had three hits and drove in two runs, and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame a pair home runs by Chase Meidroth to beat the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Friday night.

Chicago lost its fourth straight game and had its AL Central lead trimmed to one half game over Cleveland, which beat Minnesota 5-2. The White Sox have lost four in a row and nine of their last 12 games.

The heart of the Cardinals' lineup combined to go 10 for 16 with six RBIs and six runs scored. Alec Burleson added an RBI single and an RBI double, and Jordan Walker singled, doubled and scored twice.

Anthony Kay (9-9) fell to 0-4 in his last six starts for Chicago. He lasted four innings, yielding three runs on five hits. The Cardinals added three more runs off of Trevor Richards in the fifth. Walker had a one-out double followed by consecutive run-scoring hits by Burleson, Báez and Bernal.

Gordon Graceffo (8-1) got the win for getting the final two outs of the fifth, including striking out pinch-hitter Tristan Peters with the bases loaded to protect a 3-2 lead. The White Sox also came up empty after loading the bases with one out in the sixth as Randal Grichuk struck out and Miguel Vargas flied out.

After the start of the game was delayed 70 minutes due to anticipated storms that didn't materialize, Meidroth hit the first pitch from Matthew Liberatore into the greenery in front of the left-center field bleachers for his 13th home run.

Meidroth added a 391-foot shot into the left-field bullpen in the third to even the score at 2.

White Sox trade-deadline acquisition Luis Castillo (4-11, 5.57 ERA) starts opposite fellow right-hander Kyle Leahy (10-4, 3.41) in the second game of the series on Saturday night.

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St. Louis Cardinals' Joshua Báez follows through on an RBI single before heading to second on the throw during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker, right, scores past Chicago White Sox catcher Jake Rogers during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Joshua Báez celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Joshua Báez is congratulated by teammates after scoring during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)