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Rangers solve Duchscherer, beat Athletics

Jul 27, 2008 - 12:18 AM By Al Barba PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The common view in baseball is that good pitching usually beats good hitting. Through two games of their series with the Oakland Athletics, the Texas Rangers are proving the opposite to be true as well.

Josh Hamilton belted a three-run homer while Chris Davis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia each had two hits and two RBI as the Rangers cruised to a 9-4 victory over the Athletics on Saturday.

After totaling 14 runs and 17 hits against baseball's top pitching staff on Friday, the Rangers continued their hot hitting against Athletics ace Justin Duchscherer, who entered the game leading the major leagues with a 1.87 ERA.

"They did their homework on (Duchscherer). They know that Duke throws the ball around the plate," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He got some balls up in the zone and we didn't miss them. I have a lot of respect for Duke. He stays out there and battles."

Duchscherer (10-7) yielded eight runs and nine hits in six rocky innings. The All-Star, who walked two and struck out six, surrendered more than three runs for the first time in 11 starts.

"That's not a positive outing. I gave up eight runs and didn't give my team a chance to win, so I feel like I'm better than that," Duchscherer said. "I've had games like that before. It's been great so far because I haven't had a game like that until now. My whole goal when I'm not getting the job done is to minimize damage."

The Rangers broke through against Duchscherer for three runs in the second inning. Davis delivered an RBI double and Saltalamacchia followed with a two-run two-base hit for a 3-0 bulge.

"It started off slow. If the top of the lineup doesn't do it, the bottom will," Hamilton said. "We got three runs, and the confidence spread from there. That's baseball. You're not going to win all the time. What's expected to be the outcome is not always going to be the outcome."

The Athletics cut the deficit to one with a pair of unearned runs in third against Rangers starter Mike Harrison. After loading the bases with one out, Bobby Crosby plated a run with an infield single and Wes Bankston lifted a sacrifice fly.

Duchscherer, however, was unable to keep Oakland close as he surrendered a three-run homer by Hamilton in the top of the fifth. The blast pushed the All-Star's major league-leading RBI total to 103.

"That ball was hit well," Hamilton said. "I don't think I can hit a ball better the other way."

The Athletics got back a run in the bottom half on a leadoff home run by Emil Brown. But Davis highlighted a two-run seventh with a solo shot and Marlon Byrd added one of his own an inning later to give Texas a 9-3 cushion.

"Obviously, (Davis is) young, but he makes adjustments. He's very good," Hamilton said of the Rangers' rookie first baseman.

Mark Ellis capped the scoring with a solo homer in the ninth.

Harrison (2-1) allowed three runs - one earned - and five hits in five innings. He rebounded from a rough outing against Minnesota on July 19, when he surrendered eight runs in five frames.

"I needed to have a good outing," Harrison said. "I just wanted to go out there and go after hitters. That's what I needed to do. Even though I fell behind a lot of guys, I was able to make good pitches when I had to."