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Wilson leads Rangers over Orioles 2-0

Aug 21, 2010 - 3:13 AM By DAVID GINSBURG AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE(AP) -- C.J. Wilson had his way with the Baltimore Orioles in a commanding performance that included a career-high 12 strikeouts.

Unfortunately, the left-hander had no control over Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington.

Wilson came within an out of his third career complete game, allowing only three hits in a 2-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night that ended Texas' four-game losing streak.

Wilson (12-5) retired 16 straight batters until Brian Roberts led off the ninth with a double. Before that, the only two Baltimore hits were by Julio Lugo - a first-inning single and a double in the third.

After Roberts' double, Wilson struck out Lugo and retired Felix Pie on a groundout. Then Washington emerged from the dugout, and Wilson decided he wasn't going to merely flip the ball to the manager and walk off the mound.

"He knows I hate getting pulled. He was like, 'Don't even think about it right now,"' Wilson said. "I just looked at him. He's like, 'Don't even look at me like that."'

Washington, naturally, got his way. Neftali Feliz entered and retired pinch-hitter Luke Scott on a foul pop up for his 30th save, the first for Texas in August.

Mitch Moreland homered and Josh Hamilton had two hits and an RBI for the Rangers, who ended a six-game road skid.

Wilson struck out every Baltimore starter at least once in surpassing his previous career high of 10.

"It's not about the strikeouts, it's more about keeping them contained," he said. "If every single dude hits a groundball to the shortstop, we're probably going to get them all out, so it doesn't really matter."

Nick Markakis, the lone left-handed batter in the Baltimore lineup, fanned three times. After the third one, in which all three strikes were called, Markakis animatedly complained to home plate umpire Jeff Nelson and received his first career ejection.

"The first two at-bats ... he made good pitches," Markakis said. "I feel in that last at-bat, I didn't get one strike thrown to me and I was on my way back to the dugout."

Orioles manager Buck Showalter continued the argument after Markakis left and kept on griping into the ninth, when he was finally ejected by Nelson after a close pitch to Texas' Elvis Andrus was ruled outside the strike zone. It was Showalter's first ejection since he made his debut with Baltimore on Aug. 3.

"There are so many pitches during the course of a game that can go either way. We understand that completely," Showalter said. "We just want our share. That's all."

The defeat dropped the Orioles' record under Showalter to 11-7.

Baltimore starter Jake Arrieta (4-5) gave up two runs, one earned, and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings. The rookie allowed at least one runner in every inning but received aid from catcher Matt Wieters, who threw out a would-be basestealer and picked a runner off second base.

"Two throws right on the money. You can't ask for more than that," Arrieta said.

Arrieta was good; Wilson was better.

"He mixed it up, in and out, kept the ball down. That was the biggest thing I saw from him," Arrieta said. "It's good to see that, a pitcher throwing that well. I can really respect that."

Moreland put the Rangers up 1-0 in the second inning with his third home run, an opposite-field fly to left that carried just inside the foul pole and barely cleared the 7-foot wall.

Texas added an unearned run in the seventh. After shortstop Cesar Izturis mishandled a grounder, Hamilton hit a two-out RBI single off Mark Hendrickson.

In an effort to stack the lineup with right-handed batters and switch-hitters, Showalter started Lugo in left field. It was only the 12th career game in left for Lugo - the third since 2001 - and it didn't take long for his inexperience to show.

With two outs in the first, Hamilton hit a rising liner to left that Lugo misjudged and couldn't grab with a late leap. Hamilton got credit for a double to break an 0-for-11 slump, but the Orioles escaped damage when Vladimir Guerrero flied out.

NOTES: Before Moreland's homer, Texas was held scoreless for 25 straight innings at Camden Yards dating to last season. ... Baltimore had won five straight against the Rangers. ... The Orioles' run of three straight starts of at least eight innings ended. ... Wilson came in 1-3 with a 7.15 ERA in 18 career games against Baltimore.