Fielder Lifts Rangers Past D-Backs 7-1
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PHOENIX (AP) - Already off to a solid start this season, Prince Fielder showed his power Tuesday night.
Fielder hit his first home run in almost a year and drove in three runs to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Fielder, who had an RBI double in the first inning, took reliever Daniel Hudson (0-1) deep into the seats in right field in the eighth after a pair of errors allowed the Rangers to break a 1-1 tie.
"Just trying to get them in and get a pitch I can drive," Fielder said. "It's fine, as long as I get the runs in."
Jake Smolinski reached base with one out on a fielding error by third baseman Cliff Pennington and scored on a single by Elvis Andrus. Andrus had been 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position prior to that at-bat.
The Rangers then tried a double steal with Fielder at the plate, and Arizona catcher Tuffy Gosewich threw the ball into left field for an error, allowing Leonys Martin to score to make it 3-1. Fielder followed with his home run, the first since May 8 of last year.
Fielder is a .303 hitter at Chase Field with 11 home runs and 25 RBIs in 44 career games. He's batting .386 this season.
"It's nice. The batter's eye is good," Fielder said of hitting at the Diamondbacks' park.
Hudson had not allowed any runs in his first four appearances this season.
"That was probably my fault. I probably should have gotten Hudson out there a little sooner," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. "He has been throwing the ball so well for us with his fastball, change-up combination. He just didn't have it tonight."
Martin added a two-run single in the ninth for the last runs.
Reliever Shawn Tolleson (1-0) struck out three of the four batters he faced to pick up the win.
"One thing he's not, he's not afraid," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "He's been able to execute his pitches well this season.
Both starters pitched well while ending up with no-decsions. Arizona's Chase Anderson gave up a run on three hits with five strikeouts in a career high-tying seven innings. Texas' Nick Martinez allowed a run and five hits with three strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
"Solid outing for Nick. Moved the fastball around. Pitched inside. Got some early outs when he needed them," Banister said.
The Diamondbacks tied it in the second when rookie Yasmany Tomas scored on a grounder by Nick Ahmed.
TOMAS' EVENTFUL FIRST START
Tomas was in the starting lineup for the first time in his major-league career. The Cuban native, called up last week, got his chance at third base with Jake Lamb injured and Aaron Hill on the bench. Tomas singled in his first at-bat, his first hit at Chase Field, but missed a ground ball hit to him for an error in third inning.
He also legged out an infield hit in the sixth to load the bases before being removed for a pinch runner.
"We know what we have," Hale said of Tomas. "We know he can hit. We just need to find some at-bats for him."
Tomas bumped Gosewich out of the way when the two were going for a foul pop near the Diamondbacks' dugout, but made the catch to end the top of the fifth. He got a smile and a high-five from Gosewich in the dugout after the play.
"The injury to Lamb as is not good for the team," Tomas said through a translator. "I am going to be ready for any responsibility, when they give it to me."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks placed Lamb on the 15-day disabled list before Tuesday's game with a left foot stress reaction. Lamb was off to a strong start, going 12 for 29 with nine RBIs in 10 games. INF Danny Dorn was called up from Triple-A Reno and C Gerald Laird was transferred to the 60-day disabled list after back surgery. Dorn, 30, made his major-league debut when he pinch hit in the seventh. Laird played in one game before undergoing surgery on Monday.
Pitchers Patrick Corbin and David Hernandez, both coming off of arm surgery in 2014, were scheduled for simulated games on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Yovani Gallardo (2-1, 3.45 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season. Gallardo has won back-to-back starts after losses in six straight decisions from Aug. 22, 2014 to April 6 of this year.
Diamondbacks: Rookie Archie Bradley makes his third career start. He's 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA and was the first pitcher in baseball history to start opposite the reigning Cy Young Award winner (Clayton Kershaw) and the World Series MVP (Madison Bumgarner) in his first two major league games.
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