Rangers Open Homestand With Win

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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers opened a long homestand on the right foot with Monday night’s 6-3 victory over Cleveland at Rangers Ballpark, while the misery continued for the Indians. Cleveland has dropped eight straight and 12 in a row on the road.

The AL West-leading Rangers (38-25) broke open a tied game with three runs in the seventh. Lance Berkman delivered the game-deciding blow with a two-out, two-run bomb to left off Cleveland reliever Nick Hagadone.

The Indians (30-33) haven’t had a losing road streak this long within a season since dropping the last 15 away games of 2009. The eight-game overall skid is the longest since losing nine consecutive in August of 2012.

The Rangers have won two their last two after a season-high-tying three-game losing streak. The second game of the three-game series — and second in Texas’ season-high 11-game homestand — is Tuesday night.

Cleveland couldn’t hold on to an early lead, but that’s normally been the case against Texas. The Rangers are 27-8 against the Indians since 2009, the third-best record in any MLB matchup in that time frame.

Rangers rookie starter Josh Lindblom, a minor league call-up with

Alexi Ogando on the disabled list, overcame one shaky inning to make it through six before leaving with the game tied 3-3. In only the second start of his career, Lindblom gave up five hits and struck out six.

Lindblom also went toe-to-toe with Cleveland veteran Scott Kazmir, who was chased in the seventh after Jurickson Profar doubled and Elvis Andrus reached on an infield single. Hagadone coaxed a double play, but Berkman crushed the big home run to left to put Texas back on top 5-3. The Rangers added another run on a Nelson Cruz double later in the inning.

Texas reliever Robbie Ross (3-1) picked up the win by working a scoreless seventh and Joe Nathan pitched the ninth to earn his 20th save. Kazmir took the loss, falling to 3-4 and 0-4 on the road.

The Rangers mounted a two-rally in the second to get to Kazmir. After the first two were retired, A.J. Pierzynski started it with a single and Jeff Baker followed by working a walk.

Craig Gentry lined a base hit past diving shortstop Mike Aviles to score Pierzynski for a 1-0 lead. After an error, Kazmir struck out Andrus looking with the bases loaded to end the threat.

The Indians struck back in the third to take the lead with three runs off Lindblom. Aviles started things with a single and, after an out, Jason Kipnis and Nick Swisher reached to load the bases.

Lindblom was in position to get out of the jam by getting Michael Brantley to pop up in the infield. Carlos Santana ended those hopes with a bases-clearing double to right to put Cleveland up 3-1.

The Rangers knotted the game at 3-3 in the fourth on Baker’s ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left. Baker has hit four long balls in the last six games.

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