How the Texas Rangers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-7 in the season-opener

Star-Telegram digital sports reporter Lawrence Dow’s live blog from the Texas Rangers Opening Day game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Globe Life Field.

All in-game comments, notes are in reverse chronological order (latest notes are atop the file).

In Game Notes

Ninth Inning:

Leclerc strands two Phillies batters in the top of the ninth to secure the Rangers’ opening day 11-7 victory.

José Leclerc heads out to close out the game for the Rangers.

Eighth Inning:

Phillies reliever Matt Strahm retires the side at the end of the inning.

Bubba Thompson robs the Phillies left fielder Jake Cave of a home run with a spectacular catch at the wall.

Seventh Inning:

Phillies deliver Andrew Bellatti strands a runner on first to get out of the seventh inning.

The Rangers announced a sell-out crowd of 38,387.

Score: Rangers 11-7 Phillies

Phillies first baseman Derrick Hall grounds out to first, but Realmuto scores from third.

Sixth Inning:

Andrew Vasquez keeps the Rangers off the board in the sixth.

Rangers reliever Brock Burke throws a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts for the Rangers

Fifth Inning:

Score: Rangers 11-6 Phillies

Brad Miller, a former member of the Philadelphia Phillies, hits a two-out, two-run home run with a full count off Connor Brogden.

Score: Rangers 9-6 Phillies

Bohm hits a single with a man on first and second base which drives in a run. Bohm is a triple away from the cycle.

Fourth Inning:

The rangers made history with their nine-run fourth inning.

Rangers 9-5 Phillies

Adolis Garcia hits a two-run single but is thrown out on his way to second to end the inning.

Score: Rangers 7-5

A passed ball by J.T. Realmuto allows another run to score.

Score: Rangers 6-5 Phillies

A bloop single by Nathaniel Lowe with the bases loaded continues a scorching fourth inning for Rangers hitters and sends Soto to the showers.

Nola’s night is over, he allowed five runs on four hits in 3.2 innings with four strikeouts. Gregory Soto comes on in relief.

Score: Phillies 5-5 Rangers

Robbie Grossman follows Heim up by hitting a three-run home run, the first of the Rangers season.

Score: Phillies 5-2 Rangers

Jonah Heim hits a two-run double with the bases loaded to score the first two Rangers runs of the season.

Corey Seager’s single is the first Rangers hit of the game.

Score: Phillies 5-0 Rangers

Ragans gets out of the inning allowing one unearned run.

Ragans has come on in relief of deGrom who gave up five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work and struck out seven.

After initially being open the roof was closed due to the threat of rain.

Cole Ragans is warming up in the bullpen.

DeGrom has struck out seven through four innings.

Third Inning:

Nola retires the Rangers in order and has yet to allow any hits.

Score: Phillies 4-0 Rangers

Dane Dunning is warming up in the bullpen.

The game was temporarily delayed by a problem with the pitch clock.

Back-to-back triples for the Phillies and a wild pitch from deGrom allowed the Phillies to score two more runs.

Second Inning:

Alec Bohm hits a two-run home run off deGrom for the first runs of the game. deGrom has four strikeouts through two innings.

Score: Phillies 2-0 Rangers

The Rangers go down 1-2-3 in the second inning.

First Inning:

Degroms 101 fastball was the fastest pitch by a Rangers pitcher since 2019.

DeGrom strikes out two and gets one flyout in his ten-pitch first inning.

Aaron Nola allows one base runner but retires the side.

The preamble to the Game

The first pitch was thrown out by Lieutenant Reuben T. Mankin.

Texas Tenors singing the national anthem.

Texas Rangers legend Nolan Ryan receives a huge standing ovation as he is honored during pregame festivities.

How to watch: The game will air on Bally Sports Southwest locally, MLB.TV and can be listened to on 105.3 The Fan.

Pregame festivities: Joel Lagrone will kick off pregame festivities by singing “Texas, Our Texas.”

The Texas Rangers, a branch of the Texas Department of Public Safety, will be honored for its 200th year in existence. Lieutenant Reuben T. Mankin will represent the law enforcement division by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch alongside former president George W. Bush and current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

MLB Hall of Famer and Rangers team president Nolan Ryan will accompany Lieutenant Mankin to the mound and Rangers Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez will catch the first pitch.

“The Star Spangled Banner” will be sung by Emmy award-winning trio the Texas Tenors. The Texas Tenors will also sing “God Bless the U.S.A” during the seventh-inning stretch.

Notable Attendees: Former president George W. Bush, current Gov. Greg Abbott, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, as well as Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame members Jim Sundberg, Toby Harrah, Tom Grieve, Jeff Russell, Michael Young, and Ian Kinsler will be in attendance.

Starting Lineups:Texas Rangers

2B Marcus Semien

SS Corey Seager

1B Nathaniel Lowe

CF Adolis Garcia

3B Josh Jung

C Jonah Heim

RF Robbie Grossman

DH Brad Miller

LF Josh Smith

Starting Pitcher: Jacob deGrom

Injury List:

10-Day Injured List

Leody Taveras (left oblique strain)

15-Day Injured List

Spencer Howard (right lat strain)

Josh Sborz (left ankle sprain)

60-Day Injured List

Brett Martin (left shoulder surgery)

Jake Odorizzi (right rotator cuff strain)

Glenn Otto (right shoulder strain)

Attendance: 38,387