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Hamilton homers to lead Rangers over Indians

Jul 7, 2010 - 4:30 AM ARLINGTON, Texas(AP) -- The Texas Rangers' offense picked up where it left off in June, even though Josh Hamilton's hot streak at home and their 17-hit attack wasn't on the minds of players after a 12-1 rout of the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Both teams were shaken after the game was delayed 16 minutes in the fifth inning when a male spectator fell about 30 feet from the second deck while attempting to catch a foul ball.

Nelson Cruz of the Rangers had fouled a pitch into the club level in Section 235 along the first-base line. The ball hit a seat behind the spectator, who was reaching to snag it before losing his balance and tumbling backward onto the seats below.

The man was taken by ambulance to the John Peter Smith Hospital emergency room, where a team spokesman said he was responsive and able to move all of his extremities.

"I looked up and saw him starting to come down. He hit the luxury box area and came straight down," Cleveland left fielder Trevor Crowe said. "It's one of the scariest things I've ever seen. All I could think about was to start praying for the guy. There was nothing to brace his fall or anything. I was just scared that he might have killed himself."

Indians shortstop Jason Donald looked away when the ball went foul, but the sound of the man's body striking the seats told him that something bad had happened.

"My head was turned, but I heard the crowd react and heard the body hit," Donald said. "I was hoping he didn't die. It was really scary. It puts everything in perspective. This is a game and somebody potentially could have lost his life."

Rangers president Nolan Ryan was thankful that the man seemed responsive and was able to move his limbs. The team did not release the man's name.

"The preliminary indications are that it could have been a lot worse," Ryan said.

Out on the field, Rangers starter C.J. Wilson (7-4) allowed only one run and three hits over six innings, and he got plenty of support from an offense that was slumping. Texas was averaging 2.6 runs in the first five games of July after leading the majors with a .311 average in June.

The Rangers were able to refocus after the game resumed. Vladimir Guerrero added a two-run homer in a five-run sixth inning, Cruz and David Murphy also went deep, and Joaquin Arias finished with a career-high four RBIs.

"We're pros and we had a job to do," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "As long as we had to go back on the field, we had to get refocused and go out there."

Jayson Nix homered for Cleveland, connecting three times in a span of five at-bats including a two-homer game in Monday night's series opener.

Andres Blanco's two-run double in the fourth off Justin Masterson (3-8) gave Texas a 3-1 lead, and Arias' three-run double in the sixth stretched it to 6-1. Masterson allowed seven runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Cleveland had won seven of its previous nine.

The trend of hit batters continued after Cleveland's Austin Kearns was plunked three times by three different pitchers in Monday night's series opener. Each team had two hit batters in the first five innings, although the umpires didn't issue a warning to either team.

Young got his first night off this season. Young was the only Rangers player to start the first 82 games - 81 at third and one as the DH.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus also rested. Texas went with Blanco at third and Arias at shortstop, and both reserves came through with big offensive nights.

"They picked us up," Washington said. "I never doubted that they would. Blanco got us the two runs that put us ahead, Joaquin got the three-run double that extended the lead. The rest of the lineup began to fall into place."

NOTES: Hamilton was June's AL Player of the Month after leading the majors in average (.454), RBIs (31), hits (49) and slugging percentage (.815). ... Indians 1B Matt LaPorta didn't sustain a concussion when he was hit in the head by an accidental elbow from Andrus in Monday night's game. Manager Manny Acta wasn't taking any chances, keeping LaPorta out Tuesday. ... Indians RF Shin-Soo Choo (sprained right thumb) was examined Tuesday in Cleveland by Dr. Thomas Graham, a hand specialist. Acta said Choo probably won't need surgery and might be back sooner than the projected 6 to 8 weeks.