Rangers turn rare 5-4 triple play in win over Angels

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Triple plays are rare enough. Jurickson Profar and the Texas Rangers turned one that was especially unusual Thursday night.

In fact, it had been more than a century since there was another one like it in the majors.

"It was an all-around heads-up play by Profar," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Very slow heartbeat in that moment."

Profar started the defensive gem at third base and later homered to help the Rangers rally from an early five-run deficit for an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

The fouth-inning play was the third 5-4 triple play in the expansion era (since 1961), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The White Sox did it on Sept. 18, 2006, against the Tigers, and the Phillies did it Sept. 12, 2007, against the Rockies.

It was also the first triple play for the Rangers since May 20, 2009, and the sixth in their history.

With the bases loaded, David Fletcher hit a low liner toward third that Profar picked on a short hop. Playing near the bag, he stepped on third to force out Eric Young Jr. and then tagged Taylor Ward, who had stumbled off the base into foul territory. Profar then threw to second baseman Rougned Odor, who tagged Kole Calhoun between first and second.

"Every runner thought it was a line drive," Profar said, "so that's why we got the triple play."

It was the majors' first triple play without retiring the batter since June 3, 1912, when the Brooklyn Dodgers turned the trick against the Cincinnati Reds.

"Yeah, it was kind of confusing the way it happened," Fletcher said.

Odor singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth after an out call that would have ended the inning was reversed. Nomar Mazara went deep in his return from the disabled list, and Joey Gallo also homered for the Rangers.

Texas scored three runs in the eighth as Justin Anderson (3-3), the seventh of eight Angels pitchers in a "bullpen game," allowed the first four batters to reach base.

The Angels, whose starting rotation has been decimated by injuries all season, are 0-6 in "bullpen games."

Career reliever Taylor Cole, making his second career start, both this week, was staked to a 5-0 lead when Texas starter Ariel Jurado allowed the first five Angels batters to score. But Cole retired only three of eight batters.

Matt Moore (2-6) followed Jurado with two scoreless innings for his first win since April 17 and the 29-year-old's first career victory in relief.

Of Los Angeles' eight pitchers, only Noe Ramirez worked two innings.

"We'll have most of the guys be able to at least pitch some tomorrow," manager Mike Scioscia said.

NOTHING NEW ON TROUT

Angels OF Mike Trout remained with his family following the death of his 24-year-old brother-in-law, Aaron Cox, on Wednesday. Trout was eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list Thursday. He hasn't played since Aug. 2 after jamming his wrist on a feet-first slide into third base.

WAIT AND SEE FOR BELTRE

Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre missed his second straight game after leaving Monday's game because of a hamstring injury. The team will wait a few days before deciding whether to put the 39-year-old on the disabled list for the third time this season -- each because of an injured hamstring. "I don't feel that bad," Beltre said. "So, wait a couple days to make a decision on that."

CALHOUN STAYS HOT

Calhoun went 3-for-4 with his 17th homer and is hitting .304 with 16 home runs in 50 games since returning from the disabled list on June 18. He previously hit .145 with one homer in 50 games.

SHORT HOPS

Rangers OF Willie Calhoun was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to make room for Mazara. ... Angels LHP Ty Buttrey and RHP Osmer Morales made their major league debuts, giving Los Angeles a club-record 14 players who have done so this season and a team-record 56 players who have appeared in a game this year. ... Texas acquired RHP Kelvin Gonzalez from Kansas City for international slot money.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers LHP Mike Minor was scratched from Friday's scheduled start because of back stiffness. ... Texas OF Delino DeShields hurt a finger batting in the seventh inning and left the game. . Angels RHP Hansel Robles (shoulder) was put on the 10-day DL, retroactive to Wednesday. To replace him, Buttrey was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake.

UP NEXT

Angels RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (2-0, 5.31 ERA), acquired Tuesday from Miami, will become Los Angeles' 14th pitcher to make a start this season. The franchise record is 17, set in 1967.

Rangers RHP Drew Hutchison (1-2, 6.07), making his third start for Texas, hasn't won since getting a relief win for Philadelphia on March 30.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.