THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING
Baseball roundup

Rangers regroup for win

Associated Press / July 9, 2011

E-mail this article

Invalid E-mail address
Invalid E-mail address

Sending your article

Your article has been sent.

Text size +

C.J. Wilson allowed four runs and five hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings, and got support from Mike Napoli’s first-inning grand slam off Gio Gonzalez as Texas stretched its winning streak to five games with an 8-5 victory over Oakland a night after a fan was killed in a fall while catching a ball.

Both teams were still dealing with the aftermath of the death of Shannon Stone from a 20-foot fall in the second inning of Texas’s 6-0 victory Thursday.

“It’s not been an easy day,’’ Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler said before the game. “There’s going to be a stretch here where we’re all going to grieve for a while.’’

Josh Hamilton, who tossed the ball to Stone, was in the starting lineup despite the emotional 24 hours, going 1 for 5. In a sixth-inning at bat, Hamilton’s foul ball struck a fan seated several rows behind the Oakland dugout.

The teenage male had blood on his face and was tended to by stadium personnel before he walked away, smiling while he held a compress to his head. Rangers officials said the fan was treated at the stadium and was OK.

Wilson (9-3) won his fifth straight decision to tie Alexi Ogando for the team lead in wins, allowing four runs and five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.

Ian Kinsler and Adrian Beltre also homered off Gonzalez (8-6).

Gonzalez had few answers for a slugging Rangers lineup that has outscored opponents, 44-15, during the five-game winning streak. He lasted a season-low four innings, giving up seven runs - only three earned - and seven hits.

The Rangers jumped on Gonzalez with a five-run first highlighted by Napoli’s third career grand slam.

Oakland’s Scott Sizemore hit a solo homer in the second, the first long ball allowed by Wilson since Tampa Bay’s Matt Joyce on May 31, a span of 44 1/3 innings.

Marlins 6, Astros 3 - Hanley Ramirez continued his recent torrid hitting with three hits (including a two-run home run) and three RBIs and Javier Vazquez pitched seven solid innings as Florida defeated visiting Houston.

Blue Jays 11, Indians 7 - Travis Snider drove in five runs and Rajai Davis knocked in four as Toronto rebounded a day after a stunning loss to beat host Cleveland.

Rockies 3, Nationals 2 - Jason Hammel pitched into the seventh inning for his second win in 13 starts and visiting Colorado ended a five-game losing streak.

Pirates 7, Cubs 4 - Rookie catcher Mike McKenry’s first major league home run, a three-run shot in the eighth inning, lifted host Pittsburgh.

Diamondbacks 7, Cardinals 6 - Kelly Johnson broke a seventh-inning tie with his second career grand slam and Arizona’s bullpen barely hung on at St. Louis.

Twins 8, White Sox 5 - Luke Hughes’s three-run homer capped a six-run fourth inning and visiting Minnesota improved to 6-0 against Chicago this season.

Tigers 6, Royals 4 - Magglio Ordonez’s two-run home run just six pitches into the game staked Rick Porcello to a quick lead as Detroit rolled to victory in Kansas City.

Brewers 8, Reds 7 - Mark Kotsay’s two-out, two-run single in the ninth off Cincinnati closer Francisco Cordero led Milwaukee to its third straight victory.

Phillies 3, Braves 2 - Raul Ibanez hit a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Philadelphia over visiting Atlanta.

Dodgers 1, Padres 0 - Chad Billingsley scattered four hits over eight innings and Rafael Furcal singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth to give the hosts a win over San Diego.

Angels 4, Mariners 3 - Mark Trumbo led off the ninth with a tiebreaking homer as host Los Angeles defeated Seattle.

Derek Jeter’s chance to get his 3,000th hit at Yankee Stadium dwindled when New York’s game against Tampa Bay was rained out and rescheduled for Sept. 22. He is two hits shy of the milestone.

Red Sox Video