Ogando, Napoli Help Rangers Rout Orioles 13-5
ARLINGTON (AP) - Alexi Ogando allowed four hits over seven innings in his last start before the All-Star break as the Texas Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with an 13-5 victory on Wednesday night.
Ogando (9-3) broke a tie with Colby Lewis and C.J. Wilson to take over the team lead in wins, turning in his second consecutive effective outing after losing three straight starts.
Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie (3-11) gave up four runs in the first and allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings as he took over the AL lead in losses.
During Ogando's three-game slide, there had been concern over the innings total for the converted reliever. But he got back on track when he allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 15-5 victory over Florida on July 1, and followed that up with Wednesday's effort.
Mike Napoli had a three-run homer while the Rangers broke the game open with a four-run seventh. Michael Young and Nelson Cruz also had three RBIs for Texas.
Young scored twice, giving him 958 runs for his career, tying Rafael Palmeiro for the Rangers record.
Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie (3-11) gave up four runs in the first and allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings as he took over the AL lead in losses.
Vladimir Guerrero homered and drove in two runs for the Orioles, who've lost eight of nine.
Guerrero, who hadn't had an extra base hit in 34 at-bats since June 16, helped the Rangers reach the World Series last season, and he received an ovation from the crowd as he circled the bases on his solo homer in the seventh.
The first three Texas hitters reached against Guthrie in the first, and Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly got the scoring underway. Young's RBI double and Cruz's two-run single made it 4-0.
Matt Wieters doubled in the second and Lee hit his seventh homer of the season, a 420-foot blast onto the grass hill behind the center field fence.
In the fifth, Beltre's RBI double and Young's run-scoring single extended the lead to 6-2.
Ian Kinsler's run-scoring single and Elvis Andrus' RBI double in the sixth off Michael Gonzalez made it 8-2.
Notes: Texas outscored Baltimore in the series, 30-11. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter said RHP Mitch Atkins' performance on Tuesday night against Texas in his first major league start (one run and eight hits in six innings) probably was good enough to earn him a second start on Sunday at Boston. "I thought he presented himself well," Showalter said. "I'd say he's the front-runner for Sunday." ... In the second, Texas CF Endy Chavez was hit in the back of the helmet by Guthrie's pickoff throw to first. Chavez was face-first on the ground for about 10 seconds, but cleared his head and remained in the game after he was checked by trainer Jamie Reed.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
