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Orioles beat Texas in 10 on HRs by Patterson, Fox

Jul 10, 2010 - 7:15 AM By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas(AP) -- Hours after acquiring ace left-hander Cliff Lee, the AL West-leading Texas Rangers endured a stunning loss.

Corey Patterson hit a game-tying grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning and Jake Fox homered leading off the 10th to rally the Baltimore Orioles past Texas 7-6 on a soggy Friday night turned early Saturday.

"Losing is no fun, but losing like that is terrible," David Murphy said. "We have to turn the page."

At least when the Rangers take the field again Saturday night, they will have Lee. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner, acquired in a six-player deal with Seattle, is expected to make his Texas debut against the Orioles, who have the worst record in the majors.

It was the second game in a row that Texas blew a 4-0 lead against Baltimore.

"Two comebacks in a row shows a lot about the character of this team," Fox said. "It shows we're not going to roll over and play dead."

The last of Patterson's four hits was his first career slam, which came off All-Star rookie closer Neftali Feliz.

"It was an unbelievable feeling to see that ball go out of the ballpark," Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel said.

Feliz, who has 23 saves, entered to start the ninth in a non-save situation, with the Rangers up 6-2.

"He's my closer, I'm shutting the ballgame down," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "I'm not making excuses."

Fox homered to left off Dustin Nippert (3-4), the fourth Texas reliever.

Baltimore loaded the bases on two hits and a walk in the ninth before Patterson pulled his fifth homer of the season into the first row of seats in the upper deck in right field.

The Orioles loaded the bases again after Pedro Strop replaced Feliz, but Adam Jones grounded out to end the inning.

Jason Berken (2-1) worked a scoreless ninth before Alfredo Simon pitched a perfect 10th for his 12th save in 14 chances.

Vladimir Guerrero hit his 20th home run for Texas, a three-run line shot off starter Brian Matusz in the third that just cleared the 14-foot wall in left field. It is the 12th 20-homer season for Guerrero, who next week will be the AL's starting designated hitter in the All-Star game.

The game started 2 hours, 29 minutes late because of heavy rain during the day, and a light drizzle fell throughout most of the game.

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters and left fielder Felix Pie both left the game after getting hurt running on the rain-slicked field. Wieters fell down rounding second base in the fifth, and Pie took only a few steps out of the batter's box after hitting a grounder to end the sixth.

Wieters has a right hamstring strain and Pie a left quadriceps strain. The Orioles said both players will be evaluated Saturday, though Pie indicated to Samuel that he could play.

Fox took over in left field after Pie got hurt.

Josh Hamilton had three hits to extend his home hitting streak to 29 games, one short of the team record. Al Oliver hit in 30 consecutive home games at Arlington Stadium, where Texas played before moving into Rangers Ballpark in 1994.

Scott Feldman, the Rangers' opening day starter after being a 17-game winner last season, scattered eight hits and allowed two runs while pitching into the eighth inning. The right-hander is winless in his last four games after winning consecutive starts for the only time this season.

Michael Young and Ian Kinsler had consecutive singles before Guerrero's homer pushed his major league-leading RBI total to 75. The Rangers loaded the bases in the same inning before No. 9 hitter Joaquin Arias walked on four pitches to make it 4-0.

The Orioles got RBI singles by All-Star Ty Wigginton in the fourth and Patterson an inning later that scored Craig Tatum, who took over as the pinch-runner and then at catcher after Wieters got hurt.

Texas added sacrifice flies in the eighth by Kinsler and Chris Davis, the first baseman recalled after rookie switch-hitter Justin Smoak was dealt to Seattle with three minor leaguers for Lee.

NOTES: The Orioles will call up RHP Chris Tillman from Triple-A Norfolk to start Saturday night. ... It was the second consecutive Friday night that the start of a Rangers home game was delayed almost 2 1/2 hours by rain. This game ended at 1:25 a.m. local time, and the postgame fireworks show was canceled by order of the city. ... Murphy reached on catcher's interference for the fourth time this season.