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Cruz drives in eight runs as Rangers destroy Blue Jays

Jul 23, 2011 - 4:28 AM Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Nelson Cruz had a career night, going 4-for-4 with a homer and knocking in eight runs, one off the Texas Rangers record in a 12-2 drubbing of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Colby Lewis (10-7) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning until J.P. Arencibia led off the frame with the first of his two homers. Lewis allowed just two hits and fanned five batters to win his fifth straight decision. He hasn't lost since June 11 at Minnesota.

Adrian Beltre added a pair of hits and scored twice, but the Rangers third baseman left Friday's game in the fifth inning with a strained left hamstring. He'll have an MRI Saturday.

Michael Young also had a 4-for-4 night, scoring four times and knocking in a run for the Rangers, who snapped a two-game skid.

The Blue Jays, who totaled three hits, had a three-game winning streak broken. Jo-Jo Reyes (5-8) surrendered eight hits and eight runs over 4 1/3 innings, while Shawn Camp gave up five hits and four runs in 1 2/3 frames.

Cruz's performance left him one RBI shy of the Texas Rangers record, set by Ivan Rodriguez during a 15-6 win over Seattle on April 13, 1999. It was a huge turnaround for Cruz, considering he was hitting .186 over his previous 12 games.

He doubled in Beltre in the second inning and Mike Napoli followed with an RBI groundout.

Beltre doubled in the fourth and Young singled, leading to Cruz's 22nd homer of the year, a shot to center.

Beltre headed from first to third on a double to left by Young in the fifth. When he pulled up to third, Beltre grabbed his hamstring before walking off the field with Rangers manager Ron Washington at his side.

Texas then widened the lead when Cruz's single off Camp to center plated two more runs for an 8-0 cushion.

The Rangers continued to pour it on in the sixth. They loaded the bases with one out before Craig Gentry scored on an Omar Quintanilla force play grounder. Young singled in a run and Cruz capped the four-run frame with a two-run single to center.

Arencibia homered in the eighth inning off Arthur Rhodes.

Game Notes

Rangers starting pitcher Brandon Webb, who has made one major league appearance since 2008, has elected to have rotator cuff surgery on his injured right shoulder. Webb will have the season-ending procedure August 1 by Dr. Keith Meister...Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar had reached base safely in a career-high 25 consecutive contests until Friday when he went 0-for-4.