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Cruz, Rangers rough up Meche to beat Royals

Aug 26, 2008 - 5:09 AM By Pat Madden PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Nelson Cruz celebrated his return to the majors with three hits, including his first home run of the season, to help the Texas Rangers snap a three-game losing streak with a 9-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Cruz, whose contract was purchased from Class AAA Oklahoma earlier in the day, connected on a 1-1 pitch from Royals' starter Gil Meche in the second inning for a three-run homer to stake the Rangers to a 5-0 lead. It was Cruz's first major league home run since September 26, 2007.

"I hit a fastball away," Cruz said. "I've been seeing the ball really well, and I just got good wood on the ball. First of all, it was going straight, then it started to turn and just curved (around the foul pole)."

"You call that sudden impact," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "The last time he came up he did that here in Kansas City. He made sure he attacked the balls that were in the zone, he stayed inside of a slider and got a base hit, he jumped on a first pitch fastball and got a double, then he caught another fastball going away from him down the line for a home run. He was very aggressive in the zone."

Cruz's offensive outburst was similar to a game at Kansas City last season when he hit two home runs and drove in five runs against the Royals on July 28 after a recall from Class AAA.

Scott Feldman (5-5), making his first career start against Kansas City, got the victory for Texas. He allowed three runs on eight hits over a season high seven innings while striking out three in halting a personal two-game losing streak.

"I was able to work quick and keep a good tempo and just try to get guys back in the dugout," Feldman said. "I was really focused on trying to hit my spots. Tonight I tried to make a conscious effort to throw strike one and then try to throw strike two also."

"What he did very well tonight was get strike one," Washington said. "He was getting ahead early in the count with his off-speed pitches, and he put batters away when he got ahead."

Meche (10-10) took the loss for the Royals, snapping a four-game winning streak. He surrendered five runs on a career high 14 hits in 6 1/3 innings while walking one and striking out four.

"I could never get it going," Meche said. "I left a lot of pitches up. The home run was actually one of the better pitches I threw all day. That's one of those games you want to just forget about and just keep moving on. I feel good. Today, I just didn't have it."

"He didn't have command of the ball," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He threw some good curveballs but didn't have the depth or rotation he's had since the All-Star break."

Texas' Milton Bradley drove in three runs with a single, double and sacrifice fly to give him a career best 68 RBI. He finished the night with three hits.

Kansas City got run-scoring singles in the third inning from Alberto Callaspo and David DeJesus to cut the lead to 5-2. DeJesus's RBI was his career best 58th of the season.

A John Buck fielder's choice scored Billy Butler in the seventh inning sliced the deficit to 5-3.

Chris Davis' 13th home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, was the highlight of a four-run eighth inning which put the game away for the Rangers. Josh Hamilton drove in a run to increase his American League-leading RBI total to 116, while Marlon Byrd added a sacrifice fly.

Michael Young and Joaquin Arias each collected three hits for the Rangers, who defeated the Royals for the fifth time in eight games this season.

DeJesus recorded three hits and Butler scored twice for Kansas City, which lost for the 15th in its last 18 outings.