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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.

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.

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.