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Kinsler's key hit propels Rangers past Orioles

Apr 11, 2008 - 4:33 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- With the help of Ian Kinsler, the Texas Rangers completed a sweep of Thursday's doubleheader with Baltimore Orioles with a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.

Kason Gabbard pitched 5 2/3 solid innings, Milton Bradley hit a two-run double and Michael Young added a solo homer for Texas, which also defeated Baltimore, 3-1, in the first game.

"They're really leading the way for us right now," Young said of the starting pitching. "Gabby did a great job of keeping us in the game and giving us a lot of work in the infield.

"They deserve all of the credit right now. We're just doing our best to score runs and make all of the great work they're doing stand up."

With the game knotted at 4-4 and runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kinsler drilled a pitch from Baltimore reliever Chad Bradford (0-1) into left field for a single, plating Ben Broussard with the go-ahead run.

The Orioles had tied the game in the top of the inning, when Kevin Millar's groundout scored Melvin Mora, who led off the frame with a double.

Jamey Wright (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief of Gabbard to notch the win. C.J. Wilson worked a 1-2-3 ninth to collect his second save of the day.

Young, who had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run in the first game, belted a solo homer in the first off Baltimore starter Adam Loewen to give Texas an early lead.

"I try to take advantage of every situation," Young said. "I think that's just how it worked out this game. It's up to everybody to make sure they go out and deliver clutch hits. If there's a good situation, I'm going to want to take advantage of it."

Bradley's double highlighted a three-run third that gave the Rangers a 4-1 advantage.

Loewen allowed four runs, six hits and four walks while striking out four in five innings.

"I felt really good until the third inning," Loewen said. "Then, I couldn't figure out where the ball was going. I didn't have a feel for my release point. I felt like everybody on the team did their job except me."

The Orioles cut the deficit to one in the sixth when Jay Payton hammered a two-run homer to left, ending the night for Gabbard.

"Gabbard is a gamer," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "After the third inning, I was hoping that he had a couple of innings left in him. Payton was definitely going to be his last hitter and he just left one up to a good hitter."

"I think the second and third innings I was trying to throw too much off-speed," Gabbard said. "I started throwing my two-seam (fastball) a little more and I started getting the first-pitch strike and settled down."

Nick Markakis added an RBI single for Baltimore, which has dropped two straight following a six-game winning streak.

"When you play a doubleheader on the road, you want to win the first one," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "If you don't, you're going to do everything you can try in the second one. It's a long day ... much longer when you lose."