Arlington, TX - Josh Hamilton homered and drove in three runs as the Texas Rangers pounded out 14 hits en route to an 8-4 win over the Oakland Athletics in the second of a three-game series.
Ian Kinsler went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs batted in for the Rangers, who have won two straight and three of their last four. Michael Young and Frank Catalanotto each went 3-for-4, drove in a run and scored twice, while Gerald Laird collected two hits and scored two runs.
Sidney Ponson (4-1) earned the win after allowing four runs on nine hits over seven innings, striking out four without issuing a walk.
Travis Buck and Jack Hannahan drove in two runs each for the A's, who suffered their fourth straight loss. Eric Chavez went 3-for-4, doubled and scored, while Joe Blanton (3-7) took the loss after being rocked for six runs on 10 hits in six innings.
After Oakland tied the game with three runs in the top of the fifth, Texas punched right back in the bottom half. Kinsler grounded a double into left to lead off, then scored the go-ahead run when Young punched a single to right. Two pitches later, Hamilton smoked a line drive into the Rangers' bullpen in right to extend the lead to 6-3.
A two-out rally against Ponson pulled the A's within two in the seventh. Kurt Suzuki singled up the middle, then scored when Hannahan ripped a line drive double. But, Bobby Crosby struck out swinging to thwart a further charge.
Consecutive doubles by Laird and Catalanotto plated an insurance run in the eighth against Chad Gaudin, and Kinsler knocked in Catalanotto with a single off Brad Ziegler to put the game out of reach.
The Rangers picked up a run off Blanton in the first, as Young tripled to right and scored on a groundout by Hamilton.
Blanton's struggles continued in the second, as he surrendered three straight singles to Laird, Catalanotto and Brandon Boggs to plate another run. Ramon Vazquez grounded into a fielder's choice, but Kinsler singled back through the middle to plate Catalanotto and give the Rangers a 3-0 edge.
After being held to one hit through four innings, the Oakland offense finally awoke in the fifth. Chavez, Emil Brown and Mark Ellis singled to load the bases with nobody out, and Buck delivered a two-run single through the right side of the infield. One out later, Suzuki lined a single to center that loaded the bases, then Hannahan lofted a sacrifice fly to left that plated Ellis with the tying run before Ponson fanned Crosby to finally escape the frame.
Notes: Young extended his hit streak to 16 games, while Kinsler has hit safely in 16 straight games..Hamilton's three RBI gives him 61 for the season, making him the first major leaguer to eclipse 60 this season..Before the game, the Rangers announced that pitcher Jason Jennings will be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing flexor tendon surgery in his right forearm Friday in Dallas..The A's have dropped 11 of their last 14 away from home.