Rangers 10 - 8 Guardians
Final
  for this game

Rangers outlast Indians in Hamilton's return

May 26, 2015 - 2:46 AM Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Hamilton went 0-for-3 with a run scored, one walk and two strikeouts in his season debut, and the Texas Rangers used a two-run seventh to beat the Cleveland Indians 10-8 on Monday.

Hamilton started in left field and batted fifth in his first game back with the Rangers since 2012. He was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the contest.

The 34-year-old Hamilton was an All-Star in each of his five seasons (2008-12) with the Rangers and was the American League MVP for them in 2010. However, he left Texas after the 2012 season, signing a 5-year, $125 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

After two unsuccessful seasons with the Angels, though, Hamilton relapsed with drugs and alcohol this past winter while also nursing a shoulder injury. Los Angeles quickly moved to cut ties with him and sent him back to Texas on April 27.

"It was good to get the first at-bat out of the way, I was a little nervous up there," said Hamilton. "After that, second at-bat I was feeling pretty good. It was just good to be out there. It was good to feel the energy in the dugout."

Prince Fielder went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, three RBI and three runs scored for the Rangers, who have won six in a row. Elvis Andrus hit a solo homer and drove in three runs, Adrian Beltre smacked a solo homer and Mitch Moreland knocked in two runs.

Texas starter Phil Klein allowed seven runs -- six earned -- on six hits over two-plus innings. Alex Claudio gave up one run on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.

Tanner Scheppers (1-0) and Sam Freeman each tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Shawn Tolleson pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

Carlos Santana and Roberto Perez homered for the Indians, who had a six-game winning streak snapped.

Cleveland starter Shaun Marcum gave up seven runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. Marc Rzepczynski (1-2) allowed one unearned run in the seventh to take the loss.

Trailing 8-7, the Rangers scored twice in the seventh thanks to a pair of errors. Delino DeShields singled, advanced to second on Rzepczynski's errant pickoff throw, moved to third when Shin-Soo Choo grounded out and scored on Fielder's single to left. Zach McAllister came in from the bullpen and Beltre greeted him with a single.

The inning appeared to be over when Hamilton hit a dribbler back to McAllister, whose throw sailed over Santana's head at first. The go-ahead run scored on the error.

"After all was said and done, it came down to a ball that was hit probably 20 feet," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "And we talk about that a lot. You execute a really good pitch on a really dangerous hitter; you have to get an out.

"Zach is kind of a long-levered guy. Making that short throw, he really has to move his feet probably more than the average guy just because he's got long arms and legs."

Andrus homered off McAllister in the eighth to make it 10-8.

The game got off to a frantic start with each team scoring seven runs over the first three innings. In the top of the first, Choo worked a one-out walk and scored on Fielder's homer. Beltre followed with a home run of his own to make it 3-0. Hamilton then struck out swinging in his first at-bat of the season.

Santana responded with a solo homer in the bottom half.

The Indians tacked on four more runs in the second. David Murphy reached on Moreland's fielding error before Jose Ramirez walked, and both runners scored on Perez's homer. Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis hit consecutive doubles to plate another run.

Texas took the lead back with a four-run third. With the bases loaded and two outs, Moreland hit a two-run single to right. Ryan Webb took over on the mound and Andrus greeted him with a two-run double to left.

Cleveland made it a 7-7 game with two runs in the home half. Klein gave up a single to Murphy and a double to Lonnie Chisenhall, prior to handing the ball over to Claudio. Ramirez plated a run when he grounded out. Chisenhall advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Bourn's sacrifice fly.

The Indians went ahead in the sixth on Michael Brantley's RBI double down the right-field line. Santana scored after working a one-out walk.

Game Notes

The Indians went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven ... To make room for Hamilton on the roster, the Rangers placed pitcher Neftali Feliz on the 15-day disabled list with an axillary abscess on his right side.






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