Padres 2, Rangers 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- San Diego right-hander Tyson Ross pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning as the Padres edged Texas 2-1 to take the rubber game of the three-game series.
San Diego has now won consecutive game for the first time since July 2-3 while the Rangers finished their homestand 1-7.
Ross gave up just three hits in his 6 2/3 innings and struck out six while walking just two.
The Padres gave Ross some early support on a strange play in the second inning. Center fielder Will Venable hit a hard grounder that bounced off first baseman Mitch Moreland's glove and into shallow right field. Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo broke late for the ball, forcing second baseman Rougned Odor to make the throw in from right.
By the time Odor got the ball in Venable was at third. Shortstop Will Middlebrooks followed with a fielder's choice grounder off Yovani Gallardo to score him.
San Diego second baseman Jedd Gyorko made it a 2-0 game with an RBI single in the seventh inning.
That run proved to be huge as Texas made things interesting in the ninth off Padres closer Craig Kimbrel. Odor's two-out single to center cut the lead to 2-1 as third baseman Adrian Beltre scored from second. Shortstop Elvis Andrus moved Odor to second with a single but Kimbrel ended the game by striking out center fielder Leonys Martin.
Gallardo allowed one run on six hits and walked four in his 5 2/3 innings.
San Diego had eight hits, with right fielder Matt Kemp and catcher Austin Hedges each collecting two.
NOTES: Texas OF Josh Hamilton was out of the lineup Sunday and manager Jeff Banister said it was just a regular day off. Hamilton started the last four games but is just 2 for his last 16 at the plate. ... The Rangers haven't set their rotation yet following the All-Star break. Texas only has four starters on its pitching staff now and is waiting to see if LHP Martin Perez will be ready to join the rotation after the break. ... Texas 1B Mitch Moreland is the first Rangers player to have at least three multi-homer games in a season since Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli each had three in 2012. ... San Diego's Will Middlebrooks started at shortstop for the second consecutive day and for the third time in his career. ... The home run hit by 3B Yangervis Solarte on Saturday marked the first time a Padres players hit a game-winning homer while the team was trailing with two outs in the ninth inning or later since 2007, when both Scott Hairston and Brian Giles accomplished the feat.