Rangers & Orioles Split Doubleheader
BALTIMORE (AP) - Adrian Beltre homered to cap a six-run third inning, and the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 13-1 Saturday night to earn a doubleheader split.
In the first game, Orioles rookie Zach Britton took a two-hitter into the eighth inning, and Baltimore got homers from Nick Markakis and Mark Reynolds in a 5-0 victory that ended the Rangers' run as the last unbeaten team in the majors.
After going quietly in the opener, Texas unloaded on Orioles starter Jake Arrieta (1-1) in the nightcap. Arrieta gave up eight runs and six hits, including homers to Beltre and Mike Napoli, in 3 1-3 innings.
Beltre went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, and Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer in the ninth to finish with four RBIs.
Matt Harrison (2-0) allowed one run and two hits in seven innings for the Rangers, who own the best record in the majors (7-1). Harrison retired 18 straight after giving up a second-inning homer to Adam Jones.
Texas took control in the third. After Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton hit two-run singles, Beltre came to the plate with a .103 batting average and drove an 0-2 pitch over the left-field wall.
Napoli hit a solo shot in the fourth that traveled an estimated 424 feet. Mitch Moreland followed with a single, and Ian Kinsler greeted Josh Rupe with a run-scoring double for an 8-1 lead.
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy left after the second inning with a sore muscle in his left rib cage, an injury that caused him to miss the previous two games and could land him on the 15-day disabled list.
In the opener, the Rangers were seeking to match the franchise-record 7-0 start of the 1996 club. But the defending AL champions fell behind 5-0 after three innings and never threatened to make up the difference.
"The first two innings they put the runs on the board," Texas manager Ron Washington said, "and the kid did the rest."
Britton (2-0) allowed four hits in 7 2-3 innings. He walked three, struck out two and permitted only two runners past first base in his second big league start.
The left-hander was aided by three double plays -- two of which came off the bat of Beltre. In the eighth, after Texas got runners at the corners with two outs, Jason Berken came in and retired Kinsler on a fielder's choice.
Colby Lewis (1-1) allowed five runs, four earned, in six innings to end a run of five straight wins by Texas starters.
Markakis put Baltimore up 1-0 in the first inning with his first homer of the season.
In the second, Luke Scott singled and Jones reached on an error before Reynolds homered to left. That made it 4-0, the largest deficit the Rangers had faced this season.
It was the first homer of the year for Reynolds, obtained in an offseason trade with Arizona.
Baltimore added a run in the third when Vladimir Guerrero singled, Scott walked and Jones delivered an RBI single.
"It's two different worlds when you are pitching with a lead and when you are pitching behind," Britton said.
Britton had a no-hitter through four innings and didn't permit a runner to get into scoring position until Yorvit Torrealba led off the sixth with a double.
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