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Cruz, Napoli highlight Rangers' win

Aug 16, 2011 - 5:57 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli hit back-to-back homers to end a six-run fifth inning, propelling the Rangers to an 8-4 victory over the Angels in the opener of a four-game series between AL West contenders.

Ian Kinsler finished with four hits, including two doubles, at the top of the Texas order and scored three times. Michael Young added three hits and drove in two for the Rangers, who were coming off a three-game sweep of the Athletics in Oakland.

They also widened their division lead over the Angels to five games.

The Angels' Hisanori Takahashi gave up the bulk off the Rangers' runs, allowing four in one inning of relief. His services were needed because Angels starter Garrett Richards left after two-thirds of an inning because of a strained right groin.

Russell Branyan smacked a pinch-hit, two-run homer for the Angels, who have dropped five of six.

The Rangers held a 2-1 edge entering the fifth inning, which Takahashi began on the mound.

Mitch Moreland and Kinsler started the rally with singles, and Takahashi committed a throwing error on Elvis Andrus' bunt to allow a run to cross the plate. Young then plated two runs with a one-out single and force a pitching change. But Rich Thompson couldn't keep it a 5-1 game.

He hung a 1-2 curveball to Cruz, who crushed the ball down the left-field line, before falling behind in the count to Napoli. He threw a 3-2 fastball over the middle of the plate and slightly down in the zone, and Napoli hammered it to center field for his 19th homer of the season.

"We had one rough inning and it got away from us," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "There were a lot of things we could have done for damage control in that inning, but we didn't get it done."

The Angels got some of the runs back -- Maicer Izturis doubled in one during the home fifth, and Branyan homered in the seventh -- but they couldn't tack on more against Alexi Ogando (12-5), who pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits and two walks.

"At times I was a little wild, but I did the best I could with the things I had," Ogando said.

The Rangers bullpen shut down Los Angeles from there. Koji Uehara pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Mark Lowe worked a shutout ninth.

Kinsler helped the Rangers get their first run by leading off the game with a double. He moved to third on an error by catcher Bobby Wilson and scored on Andrus' groundout.

Richards faced two more batters before coming out of the game. He was making his second career start since having his contract selected from Double-A Arkansas last Wednesday.

Bobby Cassevah (1-1) entered and threw 2 2/3 innings, taking the loss after giving up Josh Hamilton's RBI double in the third.

Vernon Wells doubled in Torii Hunter to put the Angels on the board in the second. Hunter had singled to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.

Game Notes

Rangers designated hitter Yorvit Torrealba went 0-for-3 to snap his 12-game hitting streak...Ogando had given up six runs in 2 2/3 innings in his last start, Tuesday against Seattle...Moreland finished with three hits...The Rangers were 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position while the Halos were 1-for-7.