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Cruz, Kinsler go deep as Rangers edge Blue Jays

Apr 22, 2009 - 3:46 AM TORONTO (AP) -- The Texas Rangers don't really enjoy facing Roy Halladay but they sure don't shy away from him, either.

Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler each hit two-run homers and the Rangers again roughed up the Toronto ace, beating the Blue Jays 5-4 on Tuesday night.

"He's a great pitcher," Cruz said. "We really don't want to face him too much but when we have to, we'll get prepared."

The game was delayed for 10 minutes in the top of the sixth when home plate umpire Kerwin Danley was hit on the head by a broken bat and had to leave the field on a stretcher.

Danley was taken to a hospital with a possible concussion but did not lose consciousness, crew chief Dana DeMuth said.

"He was in a lot of head pain and didn't want to talk," DeMuth said. "But he knew where he was and he said he had feeling in everything."

The Rangers won on the road for the first time in four tries and have won back-to-back games after losing seven of their previous eight.

Halladay (3-1) gave up five runs and eight hits in eight innings, walking none and striking out a season-high nine. Five of the eight hits he allowed were for extra bases.

"The couple of mistakes he made, we made him pay," outfielder Marlon Byrd said. "That guy battles out there. If you're not ready mentally, he'll just eat you alive."

In 20 games against Texas, Halladay is 7-7 with a 5.36 ERA, his highest against any AL opponent. He lost his only start against the Rangers in 2008, giving up four runs and 11 hits in nine innings.

"There's obviously some good hitters in their lineup," Halladay said. "The tough part is a couple bloops and you can make a mistake and all of a sudden you're down two or three runs. That's the tough part, they have the ability to hit home runs, especially when you don't make quality pitches."

Texas opened the scoring in the second with just that mix. Byrd's bloop to right fell for a double and Cruz followed with a two-run shot to left, his sixth.

Chris Davis drove in the third run with a fourth-inning, two-strike single just beyond shortstop Marco Scutaro and Kinsler added a two-strike homer in the seventh.

The homer made a winner of right-hander Brandon McCarthy (2-0), who gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Texas manager Ron Washington praised McCarthy for getting through six despite struggling to command his slider.

"He was able to make pitches when he had to and he kept the damage to a minimum," Washington said. "They scratched one run at a time off him."

Toronto scored a run in the eighth to make it 5-4 on shortstop Elvis Andrus' throwing error and Adam Lind's RBI single off reliever C.J. Wilson, then loaded the bases with one out but couldn't score.

Closer Frank Francisco entered after Lind's hit and gave up a single to Scott Rolen and a walk to Lyle Overbay. But Francisco got Rod Barajas to line sharply to third and Travis Snider flied out to center.

Aaron Hill doubled and went to third in the ninth but Francisco got Vernon Wells to fly out for his second save.

"Frankie was as tough as he's ever been, especially in that ninth inning," Washington said of the five-out save. "He ended up having to do something tonight that you normally don't do."

Danley was struck by the barrel of Texas designated hitter Hank Blalock's broken bat on an infield popup, knocking him to the ground. Hunter Wendelstedt moved from second base to home plate.

"It was a high and inside fastball, a cutter that broke my bat," Blalock said. "I heard something happen behind the plate and I figured the barrel hit somebody. As soon as the out was made I turned around and Kerwin was lying down. I felt bad, it was an accident."

On April 26, 2008, Danley was taken off the field on a stretcher after being hit in the head by a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Brad Penny. He was released from the hospital the next day and returned to the field in June.

Danley also was knocked out of a June 2006 game between the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs after being hit on the collarbone by a pitch.

Down 2-0, Toronto tied it in the third on an RBI double by Alex Rios and Wells' sacrifice fly.

Davis' RBI single made it 3-2 but Hill tied it again with a homer in the fifth.

Texas went ahead for good on the seventh-inning shot by Kinsler, who batted .556 (15-for-27) with two homers and six RBIs last week, splitting AL player of the week honors with Kansas City pitcher Zack Greinke.