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Blalock, Cruz power Rangers in rout

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:45 PM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Hank Blalock blasted a three-run home run and Nelson Cruz added a two-run shot to lift the Texas Rangers to a 14-4 rout of the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday afternoon in their final home game of the season.

Michael Young collected four hits and drove in two runs while Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley each had two hits for the Rangers, who will wrap up their campaign with a three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this weekend.

Blalock gave Texas a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning, sending a 1-1 offering from Athletics starter Dana Eveland (9-9) over the right field wall for his 11th home run of the season.

"Michael carried us earlier in the game, then Hank continued to swing the bat," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I hope he can continue that through the end of the season."

Blalock has hit a home run in each of the last four games. The lefthander completed the nine-game homestand with a .457 average (16-for-35) and 13 RBI.

"Blalock had a great series," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "He was swinging the bat well. What's impressive is the way he's hanging in and swinging the bat against lefthanders."

After Blalock was hit by Eveland's pitch to lead off the sixth, Cruz hit his sixth blast of the campaign to ignite an eight-run outburst in the frame that gave the Rangers a 13-2 advantage.

Travis Metcalf added an RBI double, German Duran followed with a run-scoring single, Hamilton delivered a two-run double and Bradley drove him in with a double before Oakland recorded an out in the sixth.

Blalock capped the rally with a run-scoring single and Metcalf connected on his sixth home run of the season in the seventh.

Matt Harrison (9-3) benefited from all the offense, winning his fourth consecutive decision. The rookie lefthander yielded two runs and six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over six frames.

"It definitely is good to get that support," Harrison said. "I pretty much got it every start. I'll definitely take this start to the offseason and build on that. I got an opportunity a little earlier than I expected. I just wanted to make it here sometime this year."

"Harrison did a good job. He progressed this year," Washington said. "He has an upside. He's one of the kids we had to push into action because of need, and he stepped up."

Jack Cust and Chris Denorfia homered for Oakland, which finishes its campaign with a three-game set in Seattle this weekend.

Eveland, who had not lost since August 2, was tagged for seven runs, eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts over five-plus innings.