Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays

He’s a journeyman catcher. But when the final story is written for the Rangers’ Austin Wynns, a 35-year-old on his eighth Major League club, Tuesday night’s 4-1 win against the Rays at Tropicana Field will be part of a special chapter. Wynns, who signed as a Minor League free agent on June 23 and was starting just his second game for a Rangers team that has two catchers on the injured list, came up big in every way imaginable. He worked expertly with right-hander Cal Quantrill, who retired the first 10 batters and had seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings against a contact-minded lineup. The Rangers led the whole way and four relievers finished the job. In the fourth, after his catcher’s interference loaded the bases with one out, Wynns was part of an improbable double play. Chandler Simpson hit it back to the mound. Quantrill’s floater was nabbed by Wynns to force the lead runner, then Wynns whipped a throw to first and got Simpson, one of MLB’s fastest runners, by a step.