ARLINGTON -- Marcus Semien is the Rangers’ own personal Iron Man. It's been that way since he signed with Texas ahead of the 2022 season. He doesn't take days off, he doesn’t come out of games. He’s been the most consistent figure in this era of the Texas Rangers.
So when he was hit in the head with a 94.6 mph fastball from Grant Holmes in the third inning on Saturday night, there was obvious panic as he laid on the ground with a trainer, Bruce Bochy and Tony Beasley tending to his side.
Semien ultimately stayed in the game, scored a run that same inning and eventually delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning, clinching a 6-5 win for Texas over the Braves at Globe Life Field.
“What a warrior effort, huh?” manager Bruce Bochy said. “To get hit like that, there's not too many guys that will stay in the game. You can't take him out. He's just hardheaded. He said he was fine. It’s just fitting that he came up there in that situation. It’s amazing how durable he is, and ended up winning the ballgame after getting smoked. So I can't say enough great things about Marcus. He's a warrior.”
Semien roped the second pitch he saw off reliever Enyel De Los Santos up the middle, past the diving glove of shortstop Luke Williams to give the Rangers a 7-1 record on the homestand heading into the finale on Sunday. He was 0-for-3 with the hit-by-pitch entering that final plate appearance.
“That’ll make you stand up,” said starting pitcher Kumar Rocker, who allowed three runs in four innings. “That's him. He's an Iron Man. He's going to be out there every day. And the fact that he did hit a walk-off after is just a testament to him.”
“Look at the numbers,” added reliever Shawn Armstrong. “He doesn't sit out much. It's going to take a lot for him to come out of the lineup. I'm sure glad he's in it. He's a dog. It's a lot of fun playing with him.”
This marked Semien’s second walk-off knock this season (also June 28 vs. the Mariners) and eighth of his career.
Bochy said even he was shocked that Semien was able to stay in the game after being smoked like that. But after collecting his thoughts and going through a quick concussion test, it was decided that he was going to power through.
“I didn't think there was any chance he stayed in the game,” Bochy said. “Any chance. I just assumed that he was coming out of the game. Even Lucky, our trainer [Matt Lucero], was saying that he was probably gonna have to come out. But then he got up, and said he felt pretty good. He passed all the tests. So I guess I wasn't surprised, though, I really wasn't.”
Semien’s heroics were set up by a comeback in the ninth inning, with Jonah Heim delivering a game-tying double after Texas allowed the Braves to take the lead in the top of the frame. Then in the 10th, Armstrong stranded Atlanta’s potential go-ahead run on third base with a punchout of Austin Riley.
It was a back-and-forth affair, as both starting pitchers went just four innings before turning it over to the bullpens. The Rangers scored four runs over the first three innings, but they didn’t produce a single baserunner between the fifth and eighth innings.
But Heim and Semien came through when it mattered.
“It’s about playing hard for nine, and maybe 10, innings,” Bochy said. “Their guys were doing a good job pitching, but you just gotta keep fighting. That's what we did.”
The Rangers have now won all three series since the All-Star break, and four straight series dating back to Houston before the Midsummer Classic.
Saturday’s win extended Texas’ winning streak to five games, the longest since a season-high six-game streak from May 10-15. It also powered the Rangers to a 55-50 record, reaching five games over .500 for the first time since April 22 (14-9).
“Wins like this are great,” Semien said. “I think we've been doing well, winning series. We had the big series against [the A's] and now we get two wins here against a talented ballclub. Any win we will take. We want to win. We want to win every night. Obviously, the team's playing well. Vibes are good. We're not going to win the rest of the season, but I think it's how you bounce back from tough losses. We’re feeling good.”