Rangers grind out victory in Game 3, hold 2-1 series lead over Diamondbacks

The Texas Rangers got a late scare and lost two key players to injury Monday.

But they walked away with a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 3, taking a 2-1 lead in the World Series. They did so while getting just three innings out of starter Max Scherzer.

Texas Rangers at Arizona Diamondbacks, World Series Game 3: Rangers 3, D-backs 1 (Texas leads 2-1)

Game summary:

The three-time Cy Young winner didn’t allow a run in his three innings, which included working out of a jam in the second. But he experienced back tightness while warming up for the fourth inning and ceded the mound to reliever Jon Gray.

Rookie Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt, meanwhile, pitched two scoreless innings before the Rangers tagged him for three runs in the third. Marcus Semien scored Nathaniel Lowe from third base on a two-out single in the top of the inning. Corey Seager then sent the next pitch into the right-field stands to extend the Texas lead to 3-0.

They were the only runs Pfaadt would allow in 5 1/3 innings pitched. But they were enough to secure the Texas win.

The Rangers bullpen kept the Diamondbacks off the board until a Geraldo Perdomo single off Aroldis Chapman scored Emmanuel Rivera from second in the eighth, putting the tying run at the plate with no outs. But Chapman struck out Corbin Carroll, then induced a double-play off the bat of Ketel Marte to end the inning.

Closer José Leclerc finished the job with a scoreless the ninth.

Scherzer’s status moving forward is unclear. As is that of Adolis García. The ALCS MVP left the game after experiencing left-side tightness on an awkward swing in the the eighth inning. Losing either or both would amount to a significant blow for the Rangers moving forward. But for now, they can enjoy seizing control of the series.

What’s next?

Game 4 is at 8:03 p.m. ET Tuesday in Phoenix.