Kyle Higashioka homers as Rangers beat George Kirby for 1st time in 3-2 win over Mariners

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Texas Rangers' Kyle Higashioka (11) celebrates with Josh Smith, right, and Evan Carter, rear, after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws to the Seattle Mariners in the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) — Texas Rangers' Kyle Higashioka (11) celebrates with Josh Smith, right, and Evan Carter, rear, after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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9:37 PM on Tuesday, April 7

By SCHUYLER DIXON

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kyle Higashioka gave Texas the lead with a two-run homer, Nathan Eovaldi recorded his 1,500th career strikeout during six solid innings and the Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Higashioka's liner just over the wall in left field in the fifth put the Rangers in front 3-2 against George Kirby, who lost to Texas for the first time in 11 career starts. The right-hander won eight of those first 10.

Brendan Donovan homered to right on the first pitch of the game in Eovaldi's 300th career start, but the 36-year-old right-hander settled in and struck out seven, including Josh Naylor for his 1,500th to end the first inning. Eovaldi (1-2) allowed six hits and two runs.

Jacob Latz finished two perfect innings with strikeouts of Naylor and Randy Arozarena, who combined to go 0 for 8 with seven strikeouts from the 4-5 spots in the Seattle order. The left-hander set a franchise record by holding opponents hitless in 28 at-bats to start the season.

Jakob Junis pitched around consecutive singles to start the ninth for his second save in two games, matching his career total from 253 career appearances over nine seasons.

Cal Raleigh gave Seattle a 2-0 lead in the fifth with an RBI single, one night after the catcher who led the majors with 60 homers in 2025 went deep for the first time this season.

Kirby (1-2) had a career ERA of 0.97 against Texas when Joc Pederson and Evan Carter opened the fifth with consecutive singles. Pederson advanced to second on Donovan's throwing error at third base, then scored on Carter's base hit before Higashioka drilled an 0-1 pitch to left.

Kirby gave up six hits over eight innings in his second career complete game — both losses in eight-inning outings — as Mariners lost a series for the first time in 10 meetings with the Rangers going back to September 2023.

Up next

Mariners RHP Bryan Woo (0-0, 1.38 ERA) faces Texas lefty MacKenzie Gore (1-0, 3.97) in the series finale Wednesday.

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