ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kyle Gibson enjoyed his return to Texas. He thought he pitched well.
A couple of former teammates kept the right-hander from getting a win to go with it.
Nathaniel Lowe and Jonah Heim hit consecutive homers off Gibson, Martín Pérez went six innings in his fifth scoreless start this season and the Texas Rangers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-0 on Tuesday night.
Lowe broke a 0-0 tie in the fifth with his solo shot before Heim also hit his ninth of the season in the Rangers’ eighth consecutive victory over the Phillies. It’s the longest winning streak for Texas against an NL team since interleague play began in 1997.
“It’s always interesting but fun to face guys that you’ve been on the same team with and you’ve known for a while,” Gibson said. “That’s always a different part of the competition side of it, and I enjoy that. Didn’t go our way.”
Marcus Semien and Kole Calhoun each connected on a two-run homer against Jeurys Familia in the eighth. Semien had three hits, including a double, before Corey Seager’s RBI single when Gibson was still around in the sixth.
Texas relievers Matt Bush, Dennis Santana and Brock Burke pitched a 1-2-3 inning apiece as the Rangers retired the final 11 batters.
Pérez (5-2) outdueled Gibson in the matchup of a lefty well on his way to a first All-Star nod in his second stint with the Rangers and a right-hander who was Texas’ opening day starter last year and a first-time All-Star.
Gibson (4-3), who allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, was sent to the Phillies at the trade deadline last year, less than three weeks after throwing a scoreless inning in the Midsummer Classic.
It was just the fourth loss in 19 games for the Phillies, while interim manager Rob Thomson lost for the first time in six series…
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