Pallade Veneta - Garver grand slam as Rangers leave Orioles on the brink

Designated hitter Garver's 419-foot homer over the left-field wall powered Texas to an early 9-2 lead before they went on to complete an 11-8 victory at Camden Yards.

The win leaves Texas 2-0 up in the best-of-five American League Division Series, meaning the Rangers can complete a sweep when the series heads back to their home stadium for game three on Tuesday.

But the defeat came as a bitter blow for the top-seeded Orioles, who earned the best regular season record in the American League at 101-61 to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Baltimore, looking to level the series after defeat in game one, made a solid start after Aaron Hicks singled in the bottom of the first to score Ryan Mountcastle and Gunnar Henderson for a 2-0 lead.

But the Rangers came roaring back in the top of the second with Leody Taveras doubling to drive in runs for Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Jung.

Garver then singled to send Taveras across the plate for a 3-2 lead before Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim singled in quick succession to stretch the Rangers lead further at 5-2.

Garver's grand slam in the third pushed the lead to 9-2 and there was no way back for Baltimore, who managed to cut the lead to five runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Jorge Mateo single and a Mountcastle sacrifice fly.

Garver grounded into a double play to put Texas 10-4 ahead in the fifth inning, before Gunnar Henderson's home run for the Orioles made it 10-5.

Marcus Semien's ground ball in the top of the ninth allowed Texas to take an 11-5 lead and although Hicks smashed a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, it was too little too late.

B.Cretella--PV