ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — Kumar Rocker delivered six strong innings and the Texas Rangers broke open a tight game with a three-run fifth, cruising to a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.

A crowd of 23,910 watched the Rangers even their season record at 12-11, while the Pirates fell to 13-10.

The game’s pivotal sequence came in the bottom of the fifth inning, transforming a 2-1 pitchers’ duel into a comfortable Texas lead. Josh Smith ignited the rally with a leadoff double against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski. After a flyout moved Smith to third, Ezequiel Duran drove him home with an RBI double. Corey Seager followed with a run-scoring single, and Jake Burger kept the line moving with another single. A walk to Joc Pederson loaded the bases, and Josh Jung capped the rally by grounding into a forceout that allowed Seager to score, making it 5-1.

That offensive outburst provided more than enough support for Rocker, who earned his first win of the season. The right-hander, who entered the game with an 0-1 record and a 4.91 ERA from his first two starts, looked sharp. He allowed one run on four hits, striking out five and walking none over six innings. His only blemish came in a hectic first inning.

Pittsburgh struck immediately. Oneil Cruz led off the game with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Rangers catcher Danny Jansen. Ryan O’Hearn then singled him home, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead just two batters into the contest.

Texas answered in the second against Mlodzinski. Pederson led off with a single and Jung doubled him to third. Evan Carter tied the game with an RBI single, and Smith gave the Rangers the lead for good with a sacrifice fly to right field.

From there, Rocker settled in. He worked around a single and an error in the fifth, stranding two runners in scoring position by getting Cruz to fly out to center. The Rangers bullpen sealed the win with three perfect innings of relief. Jacob Latz struck out two in the seventh, Cole Winn struck out two in the eighth and Jakob Junis worked a clean ninth.

Mlodzinski took the loss for Pittsburgh, falling to 1-1. He was charged with five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out six. The Pirates bullpen, led by scoreless outings from Wilber Dotel, Justin Lawrence and Evan Sisk, kept Texas off the board after the fifth, but the Pittsburgh offense could not mount a comeback.

The Pirates managed just six hits total and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position. After O’Hearn’s first-inning RBI single, only two Pittsburgh runners reached second base.

Texas finished with eight hits, led by two hits apiece from Smith and Burger. Carter finished 1 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

The game, which lasted 2 hours and 28 minutes, defied pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 5-4 Pirates victory, and Pittsburgh had been installed as a -1.5 run favorite. The total of six runs also went under the over/under line of 8.5, though Texas’s 56.6% win probability per the ELO system proved accurate.

The victory gives Texas momentum heading into the middle game of the three-game series Wednesday night. The Pirates will look to even the series before both clubs embark on their next road trips. Pittsburgh continues its journey with a three-game set in Milwaukee beginning Friday, while Texas will host for three games starting Friday after concluding this series with Pittsburgh.