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Markakis drives in five to lead Orioles past Rangers

Sep 23, 2007 - 5:38 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Nick Markakis had a career-high five RBI and drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run eighth inning double to lead the Baltimore Orioles to an 11-9 come-from-behind win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

With the score tied, 8-8, in the eighth inning, Markakis came up after Melvin Mora was intentionally walked to load the bases. John Rheinecker came on in relief to face Markakis, who lined a double down the line in left field.

"I was just looking for a pitch to drive," Markakis said. "I got a slider up and put a pretty good swing on it."

Baltimore jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first on a two-run home run by Markakis, his 21st of the year. Texas knotted the score, 2-2, in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by Michael Young followed by an RBI groundout by Marlon Byrd.

Byrd went 2-for-3 on the night to extend his current hitting streak to nine games.

Ian Kinsler got the Rangers their first lead of the game in the second with his 20th home run of the year - a three-run blast to put the Rangers up 5-2.

Kinsler became just the seventh player in Rangers history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season.

Jim Hoey (2-4) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the win. Jamie Walker worked a perfect ninth to earn his sixth save.

"We finally put some zeros on the board in the later innings. That really put our hitters and our base runners back into the game," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "The pitching in the beginning on both sides reminded me of a B league game."

Baltimore starter Radhames Liz was shaky in his fourth major league start. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits with three wild pitches.

The Orioles chipped away at the deficit in the top of the fourth. With two on and one out, Freddie Bynum ripped a line drive into the gap in left-center field for a triple, scoring Kevin Millar and Ramon Hernandez. Brian Roberts followed with a sacrifice fly to score Bynum and trim the lead to 6-5.

The Rangers struck back in the bottom of the frame off Baltimore reliever Rocky Cherry with RBI singles by Hank Blalock and David Murphy to stretch the lead to 8-5.

Nick Markakis, who went 2-4 with three RBI, sparked an Orioles comeback in the seventh inning with an RBI single to plate Brian Roberts, who stole his first of two bases on the night to bring his season total to 48. Baltimore pulled to within one run at 8-7 with a sacrifice fly by Aubrey Huff off Texas reliever Wes Littleton.

Wes Littleton (3-2) allowed four runs and three hits in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss.

"It was just me not making many pitches," Littleton said. "I want to be down in the zone and I wasn't doing that well tonight. Sometimes I try to make the perfect pitch instead of just throwing it."

Texas starter Edinson Volquez went 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and striking out five. Volquez retired the last six hitters he faced giving way to reliever Bill White in the sixth inning.