Four Texas Rangers relievers faced 13 New York Mets hitters over the final four innings Thursday and surrendered only one hit, helping Texas secure a 3-1 victory at Globe Life Field.

The response came one day after the bullpen surrendered five runs during the eighth and ninth innings of a 7-2 loss.

Texas is tied with the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West with three games remaining. Houston owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Texas opens a three-game road series with the Minnesota Twins on Friday while the Astros are playing a four-game road series against the Athletics. 

Manager Skip Schumaker removed Kumar Rocker after 74 pitches in five innings. Rocker allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

The Mets scored their only run after Francisco Lindor opened the first inning with a double and later scored on a two-out hit.

According to the Dallas Sports Journal, Schumaker praised Rocker for responding with four scoreless innings. The manager needed that length because his heavily used relievers are operating on determination and limited energy.

Schumaker said getting five innings from Rocker instead of four was critical before the bullpen protected the one-run total.

“Leadoff double to Lindor and then two-out hit. [That was] to start the first inning,” Schumaker said.

“You’re trying to figure out what this is going to look like, quite honestly. And then for him to go four scoreless after that was huge for us, because the way I’ve been deploying the bullpen, these guys are on fumes.

“They’re just going on guts right now. And I couldn’t appreciate them more the way they’re going about it. So for him to get five and not four today was huge. And then the bullpen did a fantastic job keeping it at one run.”

Robert Garcia retired the top of New York’s lineup in order during the sixth inning. Tyler Alexander worked around a one-out single in the seventh, while Chase Silseth struck out two of the three hitters he faced in the eighth.

The bullpen’s workload has been considerable. Last Saturday, Texas relievers covered 7.2 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays after Cal Quantrill exited during the second inning with right lat tightness. Jordan Montgomery threw 3.2 hitless innings.

On Wednesday, Schumaker used left-handed closer Jacob Latz during a tie game in the seventh. Latz escaped a bases-loaded situation before allowing a go-ahead home run in the eighth. Trevor Williams then surrendered a pinch-hit grand slam in the ninth.

Schumaker explained that the Rangers establish preferred matchups before every game, but circumstances force those plans to change.

He acknowledged that his decisions have not always succeeded, although he continually considers availability and attempts to match his pitchers’ strengths against opposing hitters’ weaknesses.

“You always game plan before the game exactly what pockets you want, but it changes throughout the game,” Schumaker explained.

“And sometimes you’re right, sometimes you’re wrong, but you try to give them the best chance possible to succeed.

“And I definitely have not been right all the time, but you definitely are focusing on who’s available and what their strengths are compared to what the other side’s weaknesses are, and you try to match up the best you can and give our guys the best chance.”

After throwing 1.2 innings Wednesday, Latz was unavailable Thursday.

Montgomery instead entered the ninth with a 3-1 lead and retired the side on eight pitches with a strikeout to earn his second career save.

His first came Sept. 11, 2024, when he threw three scoreless innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks during a 14-4 victory over Texas.

Montgomery won the 2023 World Series with the Rangers and has made 161 starts and 17 relief appearances in 895.1 innings over nine MLB seasons.

That experience allows him to handle an unfamiliar late-inning assignment without changing his composure. Montgomery can provide length, enter during an emergency or protect a narrow lead.

His willingness to accept different responsibilities is particularly valuable while the bullpen is exhausted. Texas needed efficiency and calmness Thursday, and Montgomery supplied both while finishing a crucial victory.