Langford is key for the second straight game as Rangers beat Yankees 10-6 to win the series

ARLINGTON, Texas — Rookie Wyatt Langford had three hits, three runs and two RBIs in a game-winning grand slam against the Yankees, and the Texas Rangers beat New York again 10-6 on Wednesday night.

Langford made a diving catch atop the left-field wall off Giancarlo Stanton’s two-out single after the Yankees had cut a 10-2 deficit on Trent Grisham’s ninth-inning grand slam off Grant Anderson. The catch gave Kirby Yates his 26th save in 27 chances.

Juan Soto, who had three hits, ended Nathan Eovaldi’s scoreless outing with his 38th homerun, a two-run shot in the fifth inning. But Aaron Judge, the major league leader in home runs with 51, had his ninth straight game without a deep hit on an 0-for-3 night.

Grisham was a late-game defensive replacement who played in Soto’s spot. Duke Ellis, who went to high school in East Texas, got his first big-league hit after Grisham’s slam.

It was the sixth loss in eight games for the Yankees (80-60), who remain a half-game behind Baltimore (81-60) in the American League’s best record and lead the AL East.

Langford, Nathaniel Lowe and Ezequiel Duran each scored with a hit, while Adolis García and Josh Smith added RBI groundouts for a 5-0 lead against Marcus Stroman. Duran’s hit was the first of his two RBI doubles, and García added a two-run double.

Langford’s ninth-inning throw to Clay Holmes in Texas’ 7-4 victory Tuesday night prompted Yankees manager Aaron Boone to announce the team’s shutdown approach after Holmes blew a save in the MLB-high 11th inning.

New York did not need a closer, losing its third straight series for the first time in nearly two months.

Smith had a double, a walk-off base and a stolen base as the shortstop’s opener, a role that has seemed to come up often over the past 3 1/2 weeks.

With the defending World Series champions looking all but certain to win, All-Star Corey Seager went on the injured list before the game with a hip soreness that could end the reigning World Series MVP’s third season in Texas.

The apathetic Yankees allowed the speedy Langford to turn a single into a double on his RBI hit in the fourth inning when second baseman Gleyber Torres nonchalantly cut off Soto’s throw to right as Langford sprinted toward the plate behind him. Langford scored when Lowe followed with a single.

Eovaldi (11-7) was ahead 2-0 when the Texas right-handed pitcher threw a ball around Judge to load the bases in the third inning and Jazz Chisholm Jr. sent the next pitch to shallow right field to end the inning.

After Soto’s two-out homer made it 5-2, Eovaldi struck out Judge with three outs, the third a callable strike on a 97-mph inside fastball. He allowed four hits and two runs and struck out six in seven innings.

Stroman (10-7), who was 3-0 in his previous four starts, allowed nine hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S OFFICE

Yankees: C Austin Wells missed another two days after being hit by a ball in the right wrist. Manager Aaron Boone said Wells will be available off the bench and likely back in the lineup Friday at the Chicago Cubs. … RHP Ian Hamilton threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Rangers: All-Star Corey Seager was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sore right hip, which could end a third season in Texas for the reigning World Series MVP.

What’s next?

Yankees: RHP Luis Gil (12-6, ERA 3.39) is ready for the first game against the Cubs on Friday night after being sidelined since Aug. 21 with a lower back strain.

Rangers: LHP Cody Bradford (4-2, 3.21) is expected to start in the first of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.

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