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Hamilton, Rangers take down Braves

Jun 18, 2011 - 3:43 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Josh Hamilton went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and three RBI, as the Texas Rangers took down the Atlanta Braves, 6-2, in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Nelson Cruz had two doubles and drove in three runs for the Rangers, who snapped a five-game skid.

"I felt good at the plate," Hamilton said. "I felt like I had a plan as far as what they were going to do to me from the series before against the Yankees.

Colby Lewis (6-7) gave up two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win. He also struck out 10 and walked three.

Brian McCann and Freddie Freeman hit solo homers for the Braves, who have lost four of five.

Randall Delgado (0-1) allowed four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over four-plus innings in his MLB debut. Young ace Tommy Hanson was supposed to take the mound for Friday's opener, but the talented righty was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis.

"You go into a game with a guy that's got 60 innings in Double-A, and I thought he did an unbelievable job," McCann said of Delgado. "Any loss is tough to swallow but, at the same time, the kid got some experience."

The Rangers got on the board in the second inning, when Michael Young and Cruz started the frame with consecutive doubles.

McCann tied the game in the fourth with a solo homer to right-center field.

Texas pulled away with a four-run fifth. Elvis Andrus reached first on third baseman Brooks Conrad's fielding error. Andrus then came around to score on Hamilton's homer to right-center field.

Cristhian Martinez took over for Delgado, but his luck was the same. Young singled to put men on first and second with nobody out. Cruz knocked in both runners with a double to center. Martinez retired the next three batters to get out of the inning, but not before the Rangers took a 5-1 lead.

Freeman's solo blast to right in the sixth cut the gap to three, but Atlanta failed to advance a runner past first the rest of the way.

Hamilton's RBI single in the ninth accounted for the final margin.

Game Notes

The Rangers lost all three meetings to the Braves in their only other visit to Turner Field, which occurred from June 3-5, 2003...Delgado, considered one of the top arms in the Atlanta farm system, went 4-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 13 starts for Double-A Mississippi this season...Texas improved to 2-6 on its 10-game road trip...Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones (right adductor strain) missed the game...The Braves optioned infielder Brandon Hicks to Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled pitcher Jairo Asencio from the same club. Asencio gave up one run on three hits over two innings on Friday...The Braves went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.