BOSTON (AP) — That's the Ryan Dempster the Texas Rangers hoped they got at the trade deadline.
Dempster rebounded from a rough debut with Texas by pitching shutout ball into the seventh inning, Ian Kinsler had a pair of RBI singles and the Rangers snapped a two-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
"Anytime you have a rough one you want to get out there the next day," Dempster said. "Those five days take a long time. I think just knowing the lineup a little bit facing these guys. I was able to use the fastball and had a good split."
Dempster (1-0) allowed three unearned runs, six hits, struck out six and walked one in 6 2-3 innings.
Acquired from the Chicago Cubs minutes before last week's non-waiver trade deadline, he was tagged for eight runs in 4 2-3 innings by the Angels in his first Rangers' start on Thursday.
On Tuesday, he showed why he was the one of the top prizes at the deadline.
"Even though he gave up all those runs against Anaheim, he kept us in that ballgame and we won that ballgame," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He had a two-point-something ERA, leading the National League in ERA, leading the National League in (batting average) against. We know he's capable of getting outs, and he proved that tonight, without a shadow of a doubt. We're very happy to have him. We certainly need his leadership in the front part of our rotation."
Rangers outfielder David Murphy knew how Dempster felt, having been dealt by Boston to the Rangers at the deadline in 2007.
"He's a veteran and he's an easygoing guy to begin with, but I think as a man you want to earn your keep," he said. "Obviously after not having his best stuff his first outing, he wanted to turn that around as quickly as possible. I think he did that tonight."
Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz each had two hits and drove in a run for Texas.
Will Middlebrooks had a pinch-hit three-run homer for the Red Sox, who have lost five of seven.
The AL West-leading Rangers have lost three straight only three times this season.
Jon Lester (5-10) gave up four runs on six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He's 0-5 in his last six starts.
"It's another heck of a performance. We didn't score the runs and he didn't get the breaks," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "Couple of curveballs to a couple of left-handers wound up hurting him."
Lester, expected to be one of the club's top starters, hasn't won since June 27.
"I can't keep talking about being frustrated and all this stuff," he said. "Everybody obviously knows here that we're frustrated and we don't like losing. ... But there's positives for me personally in this game that I'm going to take and go forward to the next one."
Boston's Dustin Pedroia was called out on an attempted check swing by first base umpire Paul Nauert in the eighth and ejected in the top of the ninth.
"It looked like he checked his swing from our vantage point," said Valentine, who came out after his second baseman was tossed.
Until Middlebrooks belted his homer, it was very similar to when Dempster faced the Red Sox earlier this season.
He mixed a sharp splitter with a well-spotted fastball to keep Boston's hitters off-balance.
Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 22nd save.
With Texas leading 4-0 and two outs in the seventh, Kinsler misplayed Ryan Kalish's grounder for an error. Middlebrooks followed by hitting the first pitch over the Green Monster — where a fan reached out to grab the ball near the top of the wall. The call was reviewed and upheld after a lengthy review.
Cruz's RBI single made it 5-3 in the eighth. Hamilton's single made it 6-3 in the ninth.
Dempster worked seven shutout innings against Boston in Chicago's win on June 15.
The Rangers broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the sixth. After taking a close pitch for a ball with a 1-2 count, Murphy had a leadoff double. One out later, Kinsler singled off the top of the left-field wall, advanced on a groundout and scored on Hamilton's single to right.
In the seventh, Murphy had a sacrifice fly and Kinsler added an RBI single, making it 4-0.
Carl Crawford doubled in the first, but was picked off second. Cody Ross opened the second with a double, but was stranded.
Dempster then retired 14 of the next 15 — allowing only Ross' two-out double in the fourth — until he walked Pedroia in the sixth.
The Red Sox were coming off an eight-double game in Monday's win and three of the first four balls they hit into play Tuesday night were off the Monster, including two doubles.
NOTES: Rangers SS Andrus was back in the lineup after missing Monday's game with a sore right shoulder. ... Texas C Mike Napoli didn't start after catching four straight games. ... Boston's David Ortiz, on the 15-day DL since July 18 with a strained right Achilles, took batting practice on the field and said hopes to return this weekend when the Red Sox play in Cleveland. ... For the second straight day, Rangers OF Hamilton spent a long time signing autographs, posing for pictures and joking with the fans on the field next to Texas' dugout during BP. ... Boston RHP Clay Buchholz wore a large Frisbee-type disc around his neck for a good portion of BP. ... Shawn Thornton, Tuukka Rask and Daniel Paille of the Boston Bruins took BP on the field about 3½ hours before the game.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
BOSTON (AP) — The Texas Rangers have placed catcher Yorvit Torrealba on waivers Wednesday before their game against the Boston Red Sox.
Torrealba, who batted .236 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 45 games, was designated for assignment when Texas acquired catcher Geovany Soto from the Chicago Cubs on July 31.
He will become a free agent if he's not claimed on Friday.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
BOSTON (AP) — Following Josh Hamilton's resurgence, the Texas Rangers outslugged the Boston Red Sox.
Hamilton continued to work his way back from of a prolonged slump and the Rangers belted four homers to beat the Red Sox 10-9 despite blowing a late four-run lead Wednesday.
Hamilton homered among his three hits and had four RBIs for Texas, which couldn't hold a 9-5 edge before pulling out its sixth win in eight games.
"He's the heart of the lineup," said right fielder Nelson Cruz, who added a two-run homer. "When he's doing good, everybody's seeing more pitches to hit and drive runners in."
Mitch Moreland and Geovany Soto also homered for the Rangers. It was Soto's first with Texas since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a non-waiver deadline deal last week.
It was only Hamilton's fourth multi-hit game in his last 27. Before Wednesday, he had just two homers and 16 RBIs since the All-Star break.
"I saw him coming out of it a week or so ago," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He's laying off the real bad pitches. Because Josh is a swinger, he's going to swing at some pitches. ... He's swinging the bat well. When he's going real well is when there's RBIs out there, and he's not missing very many."
The AL West-leading Rangers took two of three from Boston, closing their road trip at 4-2.
Will Middlebrooks had a three-run homer for the second straight game, and Cody Ross added a solo shot and drove in two runs for Boston, which has lost six of eight and went 4-6 on its longest homestand of the season.
Adrian Gonzalez added three RBI doubles for the Red Sox.
Alexi Ogando (2-0) worked two perfect innings of relief for the win. Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 23rd save, striking out the last two batters with a runner on second.
But with all the power displayed, it took Adrian Beltre's tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to lift Texas to the win.
With the score tied 9-all, Elvis Andrus walked and moved to third on Hamilton's single off Clayton Mortensen (1-1). Alfredo Aceves relieved before Beltre's sacrifice fly.
Josh Beckett gave up a season-high eight runs on eight hits — three homers — in his first start for Boston since leaving July 31 with a back spasm. It's the seventh time he's given up eight or more runs at Fenway Park, four times against the Yankees, the last coming May 7, 2010.
Beckett's career-best streak of starts without surrendering a home run was halted at 12. It was the longest in the majors' this season and most by a Red Sox starter since Mel Parnell's 14 straight in 1948.
"The back felt good. Just too many pitches down the middle of the plate and everything was up," he said. "Even when I was on the corners it was still up."
Trailing 9-5 in the seventh, Boston tied it when Gonzalez had his third run-scoring double and Middlebrooks homered into the left-field seats off reliever Roy Oswalt.
The Rangers had chased Beckett and built an 8-5 lead in the sixth. Soto homered into the seats above the Green Monster after David Murphy singled. Beckett was booed loudly as he walked slowly off the mound after being pulled.
Cruz's homer off Mortensen made it 9-5 in the seventh.
Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine felt his lineup showed extra fight despite a poor outing by Beckett.
"I don't think it's deflating. I think the offense feels good when they're scoring runs," he said. "They think they're swinging the bats well and that they can come back."
With the score tied 3-3 in the fifth, Moreland led off with a homer off a TV stanchion in straightaway center. Andrus singled before Hamilton hit a shot deep into the right-field seats for his 30th home run, making it 6-3 and giving the slugger his third season of 30 or more homers.
Gonzalez's second RBI double had cut the score to 6-4 in the fifth. Texas starter Matt Harrison then loaded the bases with consecutive two-out walks before he was lifted for Oswalt. Gonzalez scored on catcher Soto's passed ball, slicing it to 6-5, but Kelly Shoppach struck out to end the threat.
Harrison was charged with five runs — four earned — on eight hits in 4 2-3 innings. Washington said he was feeling sick and got an IV during the game.
The Rangers continued Beckett's season-long first-inning misery, jumping ahead 3-0. Hamilton had a two-run triple into the center-field triangle and scored on Beltre's sacrifice fly.
Beckett's ERA rose to 10.42 in the first innings of his starts.
In the first, Gonzalez's RBI double and Ross' run-scoring single made it 3-2.
Ross' homered in the third — his first in 18 games — just inside the left-field foul pole, tying it at 3.
NOTES: It was just Hamilton's second homer in his last 19 games. ... Red Sox DH David Ortiz, on the 15-day DL since July 18 with a strained right Achilles, did some agility drills and looked good running the bases about two hours before the game. On Tuesday, he took batting practice on the field and said he hopes to return when the club plays in Cleveland this weekend. ... Boston placed RHP Vicente Padilla on the 15-day DL before the game with right arm tightness and recalled RHP Mortensen from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... The Rangers put C Yorvit Torrealba on waivers. If he's not claimed by Friday he'll become a free agent. He was designated for assignment when the club acquired Soto from the Cubs on July 31.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — With Josh Hamilton and Yu Darvish regaining their form from the first half of the season, the Texas Rangers are beginning to pull away in the American League West.
Hamilton hit his 32nd homer and drove in three runs, Darvish struck out eight and the Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 Sunday.
The Rangers are 10-3 since having their division lead cut down to three games on July 31. After Oakland lost Sunday, the Rangers now top the AL West by 6½ games.
"I just hope we can maintain what we have been doing," Hamilton said.
Hamilton is a big reason for Texas' surge. He was mired in a lengthy slump when manager Ron Washington gave him a mental day off on July 28. The slugger was then briefly dropped to the fifth spot in the lineup for the first time in two years.
The 2010 AL MVP has responded since then, hitting three home runs with 15 RBIs in 11 games. The Rangers have gone 8-3 in that span.
Hamilton had a two-run drive in the first inning, taking the major league lead and matching his career high. He added an RBI single to give him 99 RBIs, which is also tops in baseball.
Darvish (12-8) allowed six hits and walked five to snap a personal two-game losing streak and help the Rangers take two of three from the Tigers.
After starting the season 10-4, Darvish went 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA in six starts before Sunday.
"He was the king and he acted like he was the king on the mound," Washington said.
Ian Kinsler drove in two runs and Elvis Andrus scored three times. The Rangers, who knocked off the Tigers in last season's AL championship series, won the season series 7-3.
Miguel Cabrera had a two-run double as the Tigers slipped two games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
Rick Porcello (9-7) gave up nine hits and six runs. The right-hander is 2-3 lifetime against the Rangers with a 7.83 ERA in five starts.
The Tigers committed three errors and threw three wild pitches. Detroit's offense was held to 11 hits in losing the last two games.
"It was ugly, really ugly," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. Darvish improved to 3-0 against the Tigers this season as he avoided his first three-game losing streak.
Darvish walked Andy Dirks and Cabrera with two outs in the seventh. Robbie Ross relieved and got Prince Fielder to pop out.
With temperatures over 100 degrees, Darvish threw 120 pitches.
"I felt like I was stronger in the end," Darvish said through an interpreter. "So the heat didn't affect me."
The Rangers next travel to New York for a four-game set against the Yankees in a matchup of the two top teams in the AL.
"We always enjoy playing in New York," Hamilton said. "But it's just another series."
Hamilton's 419-foot long ball — his third homer in four games — easily cleared the fence in center and gave Texas a 2-0 lead. He equaled his career high in home runs, a mark he established in 2008 and 2010.
Texas scored three runs in the third with the help of two Detroit errors.
Kinsler's RBI double made it 3-0, and he came home when Porcello made an errant throw toward third after fielding a hopper.
Hamilton capped the inning with an RBI single to right that Brennan Boesch booted, allowing Hamilton to advance to third.
Texas increased its advantage to 6-0 on Kinsler's sacrifice fly in the fourth before the Tigers touched up Darvish.
"I wanted to get back to my old form," Darvish said. "This was a big step."
Omar Infante's RBI double in the fifth snapped a 12-inning scoreless slump, and Cabrera's two-run double off Darvish gave him 98 RBIs and brought the Tigers to 6-3.
The Rangers scored twice in the seventh thanks to three wild pitches and an error.
NOTES: Texas infielder Alberto Gonzalez cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday. The Rangers had designated Gonzalez for assignment Friday. . Detroit LHP Daniel Schlereth (left shoulder tendinitis) pitched a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance for Class-A Lakeland on Saturday. . Rangers RHP Koji Uehara (right lat strain) threw a bullpen session Sunday. He is scheduled to pitch batting practice in Double-A Frisco on Wednesday.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
NEW YORK (AP) — Forget having trouble with Derek Lowe's sinkerball. What really had Elvis Andrus and the Texas Rangers flummoxed was David Phelps' pickoff move.
Lowe pitched four shutout innings in his New York debut, Phelps picked off two runners while making a spot start for ace CC Sabathia and the Yankees roughed up Ryan Dempster in an 8-2 victory over the Rangers on Monday night.
"It's not a good feeling, for sure," Andrus said after being caught off second base with Nelson Cruz at the plate.
Nick Swisher hit a grand slam off Dempster and drove in five runs. Swisher's second slam this season was his 200th career homer.
Eric Chavez also homered off Dempster (1-1), the Rangers' recent acquisition.
In the opener of a four-game series between the teams with the AL's best records, the Yankees powered their way to a sixth straight victory over Texas in the Bronx.
Dempster matched a season high by allowing eight runs. The other time he allowed eight was in his first start for Texas on Aug. 2. In three starts since coming from the Cubs in a trade-deadline deal, Dempster has allowed 19 runs — 16 earned — in 17 1-3 innings. He was 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA for Chicago.
"Too much is made of that," Dempster said of switching leagues. "I know how to make pitches. When you're facing lineups and you don't get that break at the bottom of the lineup where you have the pitcher hitting, and you always have a hitter, every pitch is really, really valuable and it just comes down to executing one pitch at a time. Simple plan. Nothing more and nothing less than that. And tonight, I paid for my mistakes."
Ichiro Suzuki tripled and Derek Jeter followed with a long RBI double in the seventh to end Dempster's third start for Texas.
Swisher added an RBI single in the seventh as New York won for the fifth time in six games.
Phelps (3-3) was being held to a 75-80 pitch limit in place of Sabathia, who has a sore elbow. Phelps needed 26 pitches in the first without being hit hard. But thanks in part to a nifty pickoff move, he fulfilled his manager's wish to make it through five innings.
"I really wanted to get him through the fifth inning. I thought it was important for him," Joe Girardi said. "It's important for us, too."
Phelps turned over a 5-2 lead to Lowe in the sixth. Designated for assignment by Cleveland on Aug. 2 and released Friday, Lowe signed with New York earlier Monday and made his first appearance since July 31.
Lowe earned his first regular-season save since 2001 while with Boston, shutting down Texas on two hits. He walked none and struck out four.
Lowe went 8-10 with a 5.52 ERA for the Indians this season, and he had an 8.80 ERA in his final 12 starts for Cleveland.
"I had to get back to hiding the ball a little better," Lowe said. "I'm not going to do jumping jacks because you pitch one good game because you're in this for the long haul."
The 39-year-old right-hander, a longtime rival of the Yankees while he pitched for the Red Sox, received little notice from the fans when his name was called to start the sixth. After retiring three straight in the seventh, the crowd gave him a loud ovation.
The high-powered Rangers had ample opportunities to break open the game early against Phelps, making his fourth start and first since July 4. They scored a run in the first on a broken-bat single by Cruz and added another when David Murphy led off the second with a homer.
Phelps hit Ian Kinsler with a pitch with two outs in the second. He then picked him off first base to end the inning with Andrus at bat. Andrus opened the third with a single and advanced to second on Adrian Beltre's infield single with one out. But Phelps picked off Andrus at second for out No. 2.
"It's never fun to make baserunning mistakes," Murphy said. "We run the bases aggressively and sometimes it really works out for us and sometimes it doesn't."
Phelps allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Making his first start in the Bronx since 2000, Dempster retired his first six hitters then it fell apart in the third, when seven of the first eight batters reached.
"When he missed, they didn't miss. That team over there, you've got to execute," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "You don't execute, they make you pay."
Russell Martin led off with an opposite-field single to right and Raul Ibanez followed with a hit that fell just in front of Cruz, the right fielder. Suzuki, batting ninth for the first time in his career, sacrificed. Jeter fell behind 1-2 before walking to load the bases.
Swisher lined a shot into the second deck in right for the sixth slam of his career and a 4-2 lead. Swisher had not homered since July 19 — a drought of 61 at-bats — a day before he injured his hip flexor and missed six games.
New York loaded bases again without making an out, then Curtis Granderson hit a sacrifice fly.
Dempster still has not beaten New York. He is 0-4 in five starts against the Yankees.
NOTES: A moment of silence was held for Red Sox player, manager and broadcaster Johnny Pesky, who died Monday at 92. ... Washington said Andrus will probably get a day at DH this series. Michael Young was working out at shortstop pregame. ... Young's 15-game hitting streak at new Yankee Stadium came to an end. He went 0 for 4.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
NEW YORK (AP) — Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington has no problem with his offense. It's the New York Yankees pitchers who are causing the trouble.
Freddy Garcia worked around two homers by Josh Hamilton to remain undefeated against Texas for eight years and the Yankees beat the Rangers for the third straight night, 3-2 on Wednesday.
The Rangers have been limited to four runs in the first three games of the four-game series between the teams with the best records in the AL.
"I wasn't expecting that. But, once again, pitching stops everything," Washington said. "You've got to give them credit. Their pitching stopped us. That's the difference right there."
Hamilton became the second player to reach 100 RBIs this season — Detroit's Miguel Cabrera was first — with his career-high 33rd homer, a line drive to right in the fourth inning. His majestic drive in the sixth was all Texas could muster in their eighth straight loss in the Bronx.
The lefty slugger had a shot for a third homer but struck out against Rafael Soriano in the ninth inning of a game that was delayed by rain 1 hour, 45 minutes at the start.
"When you're seeing the ball good, you feel like you can pretty much hit anything," Hamilton said. "But, at that point in the game, you just want to get somebody on base and give yourself a chance to tie the ballgame up."
Nick Swisher gave the Yankees the lead with an RBI double off Scott Feldman in a three-run third inning. Swisher put the Yankees ahead in the first two games, too. He hit a grand slam Monday and a two-run shot Tuesday night in a matchup between the teams with the best records in the AL.
Garcia (7-5) matched David Phelps and Hiroki Kuroda with another stellar start for the Yankees. He followed up Kuroda's two-hitter Tuesday by giving up four hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Garcia has not lost to the Rangers since 2004, going 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA in six starts coming in.
"Our guys have done a tremendous job," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I applaud our pitchers."
A well-rested bullpen then finished for the Yankees' seventh win in eight games.
Boone Logan got one out. David Robertson struck out two in a perfect eighth and, after the strikeout of Hamilton, Soriano worked around a throwing error by Eric Chavez for his 29th save.
With second baseman Robinson Cano getting a night off because of a stiff neck, Mark Teixeira serving as the designated hitter. Alex Rodriguez out with a broken hand, Derek Jeter was the only regular in the infield, and the Rangers tested the group in the fourth inning.
After Hamilton's homer, Adrian Beltre singled. Nelson Cruz then hit a grounder to Chavez, who chose to try for the force at second but his throw was late. Fill-in second baseman Jayson Nix's relay to Swisher, the substitute first baseman, was late, putting runners on first and second.
David Murphy walked to load the bases but Garcia got Geovany Soto to hit a grounder to Jeter. Swisher fell while stretching to keep his foot on the base and completed the 6-4-3 double play.
"Once again, Freddy made a pitch," Washington said. "He did exactly what you would like to see a pitcher do, make sure you get that ground ball, and he got it and got out of the inning."
Curtis Granderson had a sacrifice fly and Chavez added an RBI single, the first of his three hits.
But Feldman (6-8) pitched out of trouble in the fourth, fifth and six innings, working around three walks and two hits. In six innings overall, he allowed three runs, seven hits and four walks. He struck out seven.
"I didn't feel I was throwing the ball bad, even when that (the third inning) was going on". I just tried to keep doing what I was doing, and the defense made some plays behind me. They just got one more than us tonight."
Hamilton pulled the Rangers to 3-2 in the sixth, launching a mega-homer way up the bleachers in right. It was his third multihomer game this season.
Ian Kinsler was ejected by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes. He is 0 for 11 in the series.
NOTES: Rangers RHP Koji Uehara (strained right lat muscle) threw 20 pitches in batting practice without problems at Double-A Frisco. The plan is for him to throw 30 in a BP session Saturday. ... Rodriguez (broken left hand) will have another X-ray on Sunday. He said the results will help set the next steps in his rehabilitation. ... Hamilton had a four-homer game this season at Baltimore on May 8. ... Jeter has an 11-game hitting streak. ... Rangers INF Michael Young was given a day off from the starting lineup. He flied out in the seventh as a pinch-hitter and played second base in the ninth as Texas lost its DH spot. ... Rain knocked out the TV signal in the press box with one out to go in Seattle ace Felix Hernandez's perfect game.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers starting pitcher Scott Feldman worked out of a rough stretch in May and June when he lost six straight by reeling off six consecutive victories.
After a 5-3 loss to the Orioles on Tuesday in which he gave up five runs on seven hits over five innings, he's now dropped three in a row.
No reason to panic, his manager said, even after the Rangers' right-hander gave up two big run-scoring hits with two outs, including Nate McLouth's two-run home run, in the Orioles' decisive four-run fifth inning.
Manny Machado had a run-scoring triple and J.J. Hardy's two-out double plated another run for Baltimore in the inning, which was followed with two shutdown innings by Chris Tillman (6-2).
"I think if there's any pitch he'd want to take back in that inning, it would be the one to McLouth," manager Ron Washington said. "But other than that, there was no indication they were going to put four runs on the board, because both he and Tillman were pitching very well."
Tillman worked 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out seven before giving way to the bullpen, which now has a 1.57 ERA in the last 18 games.
The Orioles' right-hander kept Rangers hitters off-balance with effective off-speed pitches and good command of his fastball.
That follows a performance two years ago in which Tillman held the Rangers to two runs on two hits and a walk over a career-high 7 1/3 innings.
Tillman has held the Rangers to a .203 average in three starts.
"It ain't easy," said Tillman, who improved to 6-2 on the season with a 3.71 ERA and 4-1 on the road.
"These guys have a great lineup and you have to respect that whether you're ahead or behind."
Jim Johnson worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his 38th save.
"Chris was good," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He had command of the breaking ball early, and threw the fastball on both sides of the plate."
The Rangers scored two on Geovany Soto's two-run homer in the seventh inning to close a 5-1 deficit to two and then put the tying run on base, but Pedro Strop struck out Josh Hamilton on a slider to end the threat.
David Murphy, 10 for 19 with a homer and three doubles and six RBI in his previous five games, went 1 for 4 on Tuesday, including a groundout with a runner on base to end the Rangers' half of the eighth.
"Pedy got a couple of big outs for us," Showalter said. The bullpen "has been a constant for us. We've been able to share the load and pass it around.
"We've got a lot of people we have confidence in."
Feldman struck out four and walked one while ending a string of good performances by Rangers pitching, which entered Tuesday having allowed two runs or less in three consecutive games and just four total in the three-game winning streak.
The starting rotation had posted a 2.96 ERA in the previous seven games.
"I thought he made a real good pitch to Hardy and he went down and poked it to right field," Washington said. "That's a part of baseball, I think Scott has been throwing the ball really well. That's just the way it went tonight."
The AL West-division leading Rangers lost a game to Los Angeles in the standings and lead the Angels by eight games. Oakland, which started the evening six back, were playing late at home against Minnesota.
The Orioles broke loose for four runs in the fifth. Machado's triple scored Omar Quintanilla and McLouth sent a Feldman pitch into the left-field seats for a two-run home run that made the score 5-1.
"All you're trying to do in that situation is limit the damage," Feldman said. "Even after giving up that hit to Hardy, we're still in the game. I just made a bad pitch to McLouth."
The Rangers' Ian Kinsler hit his 14th home run of the season to tie the game in the third on a 1-0 pitch.
Orioles took a first-inning lead by scoring an unearned run with two outs.
McLouth walked, stole second and advanced to third on an error when Geovany Soto's throw sailed into center field. He scored on Feldman's wild pitch.
Notes: Entering the game, three of the top 22 qualifiers in ERA as relievers in the AL were Orioles. Pedro Strop (2nd, 1.49), Darren O'Day (17th, 2.49) and Troy Patton (22nd, 2.58). . The Rangers' Adrian Beltre, hitting .235 in his previous 30 games, went 2 for 4 on Tuesday. . The Orioles have won 12 consecutive one-run games. The franchise has done that on three other occasions, 1964, 1970 and 1979. Baltimore went to the World Series in 1970 and '79 and won 97 games and finished two games back of eventual World Series champion New York Yankees in '64. . Rangers reliever Michael Kirkman extended a scoreless innings streak to seven in his last six games after holding the Orioles to no runs in two innings. Kirkman also has stranded 11 of the last 13 inherited runners, including three in a game three times.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ron Washington was in a grateful mood after his 500th win as manager of the Texas Rangers.
Josh Hamilton had five RBIs and Mitch Moreland doubled in the go-ahead run during a six-run eighth inning that carried Texas to a 10-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.
"I think you have to give a lot of credit to the organization, the players, the coaches and everyone," said Washington, in his sixth season as a manager — all with the Rangers. "We got there fast. I didn't get there alone.
"I just hope I can be here and win 500 more."
Adrian Beltre had three hits, including his fourth homer in two days, and scored the tiebreaking run on Moreland's drive to left-center.
Minnesota starter Scott Diamond was ejected in the third by plate umpire Wally Bell after throwing a pitch behind Hamilton's head. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire also was tossed after immediately protesting Bell's decision.
"Anytime in an umpire's judgment they go in the head area, we have to take care of business. I felt at the time that he had to be ejected for it," Bell said.
Rangers starter Roy Oswalt had hit slugger Joe Mauer in the back in the preceding half-inning.
"I'm not going to get into that," Gardenhire said. "Everybody saw that, so I don't have to say anything about it.
"I've never seen it happen like that before."
A pair of Twins errors led to five unearned runs in the eighth as the AL West leaders sent 11 batters to the plate to break a 4-all tie. Geovany Soto, Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus also had RBIs in the inning.
Moreland entered in the sixth to replace designated hitter Michael Young, who left to witness the birth of his third son.
Beltre is hitting .529 with four home runs, two doubles and six RBIs in his last four games. He homered three times Wednesday night, twice in a nine-run fourth inning, and had five RBIs during a 12-3 victory over Baltimore.
Jared Burton (1-1) took the loss after giving up six runs on three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.
Mike Adams (3-3) worked a scoreless eighth for the win. Joe Nathan entered in the ninth after Tanner Scheppers gave up two runs with two outs and converted his 22nd consecutive save opportunity and 25th of the season.
Minnesota left 14 runners on base.
Andrus' error on Denard Span's grounder to shortstop let in the first runs the Rangers' bullpen had given up in 18 innings.
Beltre hit a one-out double in the eighth and Nelson Cruz reached on third baseman Trevor Plouffe's error, setting the stage for Moreland's clutch hit.
David Murphy was intentionally walked to bring up Soto, who hit a grounder that shortstop Pedro Florimon bobbled for an error. Soto was credited with an RBI.
Kinsler drew a bases-loaded walk, Andrus knocked in a run with an infield single and Hamilton added a two-run single.
Oswalt started in place of Yu Darvish, skipped because of tightness in his right quadriceps. The right-hander gave up four runs and seven hits over 5 1-3 innings.
Diamond worked 2 1-3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks.
The Rangers took a 4-2 lead in the fifth on Beltre's 23rd home run and Hamilton's RBI single that scored Kinsler.
Oswalt was pulled after giving up successive hits to Matt Carson and Plouffe in the sixth.
Rangers reliever Michael Kirkman, who had retired 10 consecutive batters over his past three appearances, couldn't keep Oswalt's runners from scoring.
Carson came home on Florimon's groundout and Span tied it with a single.
Hamilton's double in the first scored Kinsler and Andrus to give Texas a 2-1 lead. The 2010 AL MVP is hitting .345 with 17 RBIs in the past 16 games.
"Down the stretch, he is our horse," Washington said. "So is Beltre, so is Moreland, so is Murphy. We've got a pretty good team."
NOTES: Span was back in the lineup after missing the previous nine games with a sore right shoulder sustained while diving for a ball in center field on Aug. 12 against Tampa Bay. ... Minnesota DH Josh Willingham was scratched because of a stiff neck. ... Washington said he doesn't expect catcher Mike Napoli back until Sept. 1. Napoli is on the disabled list with a strained left quadriceps.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Even Josh Hamilton couldn't make up for the Texas Rangers' sloppy play on Sunday.
Hamilton hit his 35th homer and drove in four runs, but the Rangers made a couple of costly fielding blunders in a 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
"The frustrating thing was that we didn't play as sharply today," Texas outfielder David Murphy said. "If we did, it would have been a different outcome."
Ben Revere had four hits as Minnesota stopped a five-game slide. Cole De Vries pitched five effective innings to win for the first time in nearly two months.
Texas' defensive struggles helped the Twins grab a 3-2 lead in the third.
Revere opened the inning with an infield single and advanced to second when first baseman Mitch Moreland threw the ball away.
Scott Feldman fielded Joe Mauer's grounder and had Revere in a rundown between second and third. The Rangers, however, couldn't execute the play as third baseman Adrian Beltre dropped the ball, allowing Revere to reach third.
"We messed up the play there," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.
Despite those miscues, the Rangers still had a chance to keep the Twins off the board in the inning.
Hamilton caught Justin Morneau's shallow pop in left. He dropped the ball transferring it from his glove to his hand, and Revere scored on what was ruled a sacrifice fly.
"That was a run that probably wouldn't have been on the board," Washington said.
Texas' woes in the field overshadowed another huge game from Hamilton.
He hit a two-run single in the first, then belted a two-run homer in the sixth that trimmed Minnesota's lead to 6-4. The big game ran his total to 111 RBIs, the most in the majors.
"He's been barreling up the ball when they make a mistake," Washington said.
De Vries (3-5) was 0-4 in 10 starts since beating Kansas City on June 30. The rookie allowed two runs and three singles.
"I'm happy to have a performance like that against a powerful offense," De Vries said.
The Twins avoided getting swept in the four-game series. They finished a 10-game road trip with a 2-8 record.
Revere lined an RBI triple in the sixth that gave the Twins a 6-2 lead. The speedy right fielder reached base five times and scored three runs.
Glen Perkins worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in 10 chances.
"It was a nice win after a long road trip," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Feldman (6-10) lost his fourth straight start. He gave up six runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.
"I made good pitches," Feldman said. "That's the frustrating thing about it."
Texas jumped on De Vries after a rain delay of 1 hour, 26 minutes.
The AL West leaders got three straight singles after play resumed, capped by Hamilton's hit that put Texas on top 2-1.
De Vries retired 15 of his next 16 batters. The only hitter to reach was Geovany Soto, who struck out but got to first on a passed ball.
Two batters after Hamilton's 35th home run, Nelson Cruz added a solo shot to cut Minnesota's lead to 6-5.
Texas center fielder Craig Gentry took a home run away from Mauer in the ninth. Gentry went back to the nearly 9-foot wall, jumped up and snared the drive before it cleared the fence.
"The catch was huge," Washington said. "We were still one swing away from tying the ballgame."
NOTES: Twins LHP Scott Diamond said he is ready to make his scheduled start Tuesday as he awaits word on his appeal of a six-game suspension for a pitch thrown near the Hamilton's head. Diamond said the appeal was filed late Friday afternoon and was uncertain whether the league would address it by Monday. "I don't know when I will hear," Diamond said. "It might take them a day or two." ... The Rays announced that RHP Alex Cobb will start against the Rangers on Wednesday. ... Gentry ran into 2B Ian Kinsler making a catch to end the fifth. Gentry was down for a couple of minutes, but walked off on his own and remained in the game.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adrian Beltre extended his hot seven-game streak into another week.
Beltre was 3 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs, including driving in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning, to lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
Elvis Andrus scored on Beltre's single to give the AL West leaders a series-opening win. Nelson Cruz also homered and Mike Olt added an RBI for Texas.
Derek Holland (9-6) got the win, giving up five runs — three earned — on six hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Beltre, who was selected AL player of the week after a three-homer game and another in which he hit for the cycle, is hitting .385 with six homers and 13 RBIs in his last eight games.
"He's locked in," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We need everything he's giving us right now. He's one of the guys in our lineup that makes it work."
Relievers Alexi Ogando and Mike Adams, and closer Joe Nathan struck out six of the nine hitters they faced in working perfect seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Nathan earned his 23rd consecutive save opportunity and 26th this season.
Tampa Bay ace David Price (16-5) snapped a stretch of 12 consecutive quality starts in which he had pitched at least seven innings. The lefty, who entered with a majors-low 2.28 ERA and tied for the league lead for victories, didn't make it to the fifth, giving up six runs on 10 hits in four innings.
In eight career regular-season starts against the Rangers, Price is 1-3 with a 6.04 ERA. In four starts at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, his ERA is 10.26.
"I didn't feel like I was throwing the ball any different than I was during the stretch where I've been successful," Price said. "It's Texas, they're a good-hitting team, and they're feeling it right now."
The Rangers continually jumped on first-pitch fastballs.
"We were trying to look for a pitch we could handle," said Beltre, noting that Price likes to get ahead of hitters. "He comes after hitters, so we were ready."
The Rays entered with the AL's best road record (35-27), but found they were no match for Beltre.
Beltre, who reached base a fourth time with a walk in the seventh, and Cruz had back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second to erase a 2-0 deficit — the first time Price has allowed consecutive homers in his career.
Olt's groundout to shortstop Ben Zobrist drove in the Rangers' third run.
Beltre's double with no outs in the third scored Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton to make the score 5-3. Price was able to limit the damage by retiring the next three hitters on two groundouts and a strikeout of Geovany Soto.
Over his last 65 games, Beltre is hitting .332 with 15 homers, 14 doubles and 44 RBIs.
"I don't know," Beltre said when asked if he's ever had a streak like the past eight games. "Probably. I don't keep track. Right now, I feel good. I feel comfortable, and have confidence offensively."
B.J. Upton's run-scoring triple and Zobrist's RBI single tied the score at 5-all in the fifth.
An error led to two unearned runs for the Rays in the first inning.
Upton reached base on a fielding miscue by Andrus at short, who then dropped a potential double play relay on the next hitter, Ben Zobrist, who reached on a fielder's choice.
Evan Longoria, who was 2 for 4, then took a 3-2 pitch deep off the left-field foul pole for a home run.
"We screwed up the first inning," Washington said, "but the offenses wouldn't stop."
The Rays' Nos. 5-9 hitters went 0 for 18 with eight strikeouts.
Notes: With the home run and a single, Longoria is hitting .435 (10 for 23) lifetime against Rangers starter Holland. ... Beltre has had 25 or more home runs in seven seasons. ... Price led the major leagues in ERA and tied for most wins entering Monday's game. In the last 50 years, only eight pitchers Sandy Koufax (1963, '65-66), Jim Palmer (1975), Ron Guidry (1978), Dwight Gooden (1985), Bret Saberhagen (1989), Greg Maddux (1995), Pedro Martinez (1999) and Johan Santana (2006) have finished the season leading the majors in both categories — and all have won the Cy Young.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
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