CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Jacob deGrom pitched seven strong innings and Joc Pederson and Josh Jung each homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

The Rangers, who entered the game with a 44-42 record, matched Cleveland’s mark at 44-42. The victory gave Texas a 2-0 lead in the three-game series after a 6-3 win Monday.

DeGrom allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out nine over seven innings. He improved to 7-5 on the season. The right-hander rebounded from a loss in his previous start June 24 at Miami, when he gave up two earned runs in six innings. In his start before that, he allowed six runs in six innings against San Diego.

Cleveland struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Chase DeLauter led off with a double, and Kyle Manzardo followed by launching a 2-0 pitch from deGrom over the center-field fence for his 10th home run of the season, giving the Guardians a 2-0 lead.

Texas answered in the third inning. Nicky Lopez led off with a single, and Pederson crushed a 1-1 pitch from Tanner Bibee over the center-field wall for his 14th homer, tying the game at 2-2.

The Rangers took the lead in the seventh inning. Ezequiel Duran singled to lead off, moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter, and scored when Alejandro Osuna’s fly ball to left field was dropped by left fielder Cooper Ingle for a two-base error. Texas led 3-2.

Josh Jung provided an insurance run in the eighth inning with his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot to right-center field off Guardians reliever Shawn Armstrong.

Jacob Latz pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 17th save, striking out two and allowing no hits.

Bibee took the loss despite a solid performance. The Guardians starter went seven innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out two and walking none. He fell to 2-9.

DeGrom worked around early trouble after the first-inning home run. He retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced before allowing a two-out single in the seventh. He struck out the side in the fourth inning, and finished with nine strikeouts, matching his total from his previous start.

Texas outhit Cleveland 6-5. Jung went 2 for 4 with a home run and an RBI. Pederson was 1 for 4 with the two-run homer and two RBIs. Lopez had a hit and scored a run.

For Cleveland, Manzardo went 1 for 3 with the two-run homer. DeLauter was 1 for 4 with a double. Daniel Schneemann had two hits.

The game was played in 2 hours, 12 minutes before an announced crowd of 21,674.

Texas won despite leaving six runners on base and striking out eight times. Cleveland left five runners on and struck out 12 times.

The Rangers improved to 6-1 in their last seven games, including five straight wins before Tuesday. They have won three consecutive games against Cleveland dating to the series earlier this month. Texas swept a three-game set at home against the Guardians from June 5-7, winning two of three.

Cleveland lost for the sixth time in its last eight games. The Guardians had won three of their previous four before Monday’s loss.

The series concludes Wednesday night at Progressive Field before both teams return home for the holiday weekend. Texas hosts Detroit for four games starting Thursday, while Cleveland hosts the Chicago White Sox for four games beginning Thursday.

Peyton Gray pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Texas, allowing one hit and striking out one. Daniel Espino pitched a scoreless eighth for Cleveland, striking out two.

Shawn Armstrong gave up one hit and one earned run in the eighth for Cleveland.

The Rangers’ victory moved them into a tie with Cleveland in the standings. Both teams are 44-42.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy’s club has now won eight of its last 10 games. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt’s squad has lost four of its last five.

The game featured a pitchers’ duel after the early scoring. DeGrom allowed only two baserunners after the first inning until the seventh. Bibee retired nine of 10 batters between the fourth and sixth innings.

Josh Jung’s eighth-inning homer gave Latz a two-run cushion, and the closer retired the side in order in the ninth.

The Rangers have now won six consecutive games decided by two runs or fewer.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas 6, Cleveland 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave Cleveland a 54.60 percent probability to win. Texas was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of six went over the over-under line of 7.5.