PHOENIX (AP) — Ezequiel Duran had a two-run single and Wyatt Langford hit a solo homer during a six-run fifth inning to lead the Texas Rangers over the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 on Saturday night to even the three-game series.
The Rangers improved to 73-76 and are just two games back of the final American League wild card despite a sub-.500 record.
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Texas Rangers'Corey Seager (5) reaches first base safely as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) has his foot off the base during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt tosses down the rosin bag during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson reacts to being hit by a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers' Jake Burger connects for a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona fell to 79-70 and is 1 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild card.
The Rangers took advantage of a close replay call that went in their favor during the decisive fifth.
The D-backs thought they were out of the jam with the score tied at 1-all after turning an inning-ending double play, but first base umpire Bill Miller ruled Corey Seager safe at first, signaling that pitcher Brandon Pfaadt's foot was off the bag. Arizona challenged the call, but the video review proved inconclusive and Miller's call was upheld.
The Rangers would go on to score five more runs after the review. Duran's two-run single was among the clutch hits.
Pfaadt (7-3) gave up six runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.
Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker gave up one run on two hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out five. Langford's solo homer to lead off the fifth was his 17th long ball of the season.
Two-time All-Star Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) returned from the injured list for the Rangers, pitching in relief for the first time since 2019. He threw 2 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out two.
The D-backs send LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (15-5, 2.55 ERA) to the mound Sunday while the Rangers counter with RHP Cal Quantrill (8-5, 2.89)
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Texas Rangers'Corey Seager (5) reaches first base safely as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) has his foot off the base during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt tosses down the rosin bag during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson reacts to being hit by a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Texas Rangers' Jake Burger connects for a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Oklahoma State pulled off the biggest upset of the early college football season, taking down No. 6 Oregon to end a 12-game losing streak.
Top-ranked Ohio State at No. 4 Texas topped it by living up to the hype of two national title contenders squaring off — once the Longhorns snapped out of their doldrums.
Down 20 in the third quarter, Arch Manning led Texas to three fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the Longhorns pulled out a 24-23 win on Hollywood Smothers' 1-yard TD with 25 seconds left on Saturday night.
“It wasn't very pretty, but we won,” said Manning, who threw for 196 yards and a touchdown with an interception. “That's what good teams do.”
The Longhorns (2-0) didn't look very good early.
Texas turned it over on its first two possessions and trailed 20-3 at halftime. The game seemed all but over the way the Buckeyes (1-1) were manhandling the Longhorns.
Manning brought Texas back with a Heisman Trophy-boosting performance.
Harassed through the first three quarters, Manning hit Ryan Wingo for a 3-yard touchdown and led the Longhorns to Smothers' 1-yard scoring dive that cut Ohio State's lead to six.
Ohio State answered with a drive of its own, but Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal wide right, giving Texas a chance. Manning led the Longhorns down the field again on a drive punctuated by Smothers' dive over the pile.
The Buckeyes’ blowup capped a tough day for the Big 10. The league went 2-6 in Power Four nonconference games, with Iowa and Michigan the only winners.
There will be a new No. 1 in the next AP Top 25. Could Texas leapfrog to the top after this gutsy comeback?
Oklahoma State was given no shot at beating No. 6 Oregon, not after losing at Tulsa last week and getting thumped by 66 points by the Ducks last season.
The Cowboys were seemingly the only ones who believed and they did it on a wild Saturday in Stillwater, beating Oregon 39-31 in the first major upset of the college football season.
Cowboys fans poured onto the field — and tossed one of the goalposts into a nearby pond — to celebrate a memorable first win for coach Eric Morris.
“I don’t know if I can top this,” Morris told ESPN after the game. “I’m not going to retire, but I might think about it tonight.”
Everything appeared to be against the Cowboys (1-1).
They had lost 21 straight games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and 12 straight overall spanning two seasons, their only win against FCS Tennessee Martin in the 2025 opener. Oklahoma State was blown out 69-3 by Oregon last season, was coming off a lackluster 24-10 loss to Tulsa and entered Saturday’s game as a 23 1/2-point underdog.
The Cowboys never flinched even after a long weather delay, stifling Oregon’s vaunted offense while racking up 554 total yards.
Drew Mestemaker overcame two interceptions on tipped passes to throw for 317 yards and two touchdowns, adding a pinballing 10-yard TD run that put the Cowboys up 36-31 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“This is the best moment of my life, honestly,” Mestemaker said. “Not even close.”
No extra second on the clock, no problem for Michigan.
Bouncing back from a controversial win over Western Michigan, the Wolverines knocked off No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10 to end a week of turmoil.
Michigan was the butt of jokes and dropped out of the AP Top 25 following its 13-12 win over Western Michigan on a Hail Mary after the officials put a second back on the clock.
The Wolverines (2-0) shook off the tumult and focused on the Sooners, shutting down their offense and clinching the win with a late interception.
“Everything that we were looking for in this game was missing last week,” Michigan first-year coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Robbed of a win last week, Western Michigan got one that counted on Saturday, taking down Monmouth 49-14.
Boise State found itself in a deep hole against Memphis by giving up one big play after another.
Once the Broncos settled in, they ran away from the Tigers for a 38-20 win in what could be a crucial game in the race for a Group of Six spot in the College Football Playoff.
Playing its first home game as a Pac-12 member, Boise State looked shellshocked as Memphis jumped out to a 17-3 lead. The Broncos, who gave then-No. 2 Oregon all it could handle in a loss last week, responded by overpowering the Tigers, finishing with 578 yards.
Dylan Riley had 206 of Boise State's 357 yards rushing in a win that could be huge if the Broncos manage to win the Pac-12 title.
Oregon State was in position to give the re-formed Pac-12 another massive win, taking a three-point lead early in the fourth quarter against No. 13 Texas Tech. The Red Raiders rallied with two touchdowns in the final 6 1/2 minutes and won 35-27.
Ohio State teammates Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith have put themselves in the Heisman Trophy conversation, and so far Miami QB Darian Mensah has looked every bit a favorite.
Don't overlook SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings.
A year after throwing for over 3,600 yards, Jennings has put up big numbers through two games for the 17th-ranked Mustangs.
The fifth-year quarterback overcame two interceptions to throw for a career-best 430 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 27-24 win over Florida State. Jennings followed that up by throwing for 337 yards and a career-high five touchdowns while playing just the first half in a 56-10 victory over UC Davis.
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Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) runs the ball in the first half the NCAA college football game against Oregon in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)
