Rangers 7, Rays 1
Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus each homered and knocked in three runs as visiting Texas snapped its seven-game losing streak.
Leonys Martin added a solo homer, two doubles and three runs scored for the Rangers, who tied the Rays for the American League wild-card lead - with both one-half game clear of Cleveland. Alexi Ogando (7-4) allowed one run on only two hits and struck out four over five innings in his first start since Aug. 13.
Wil Myers collected two hits and Jose Lobaton homered for Tampa Bay, which had scored 17 runs in its previous three contests. Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson (11-9) went 2 2/3 innings, yielding five runs and four hits to lose for the sixth time in his last seven decisions.
Kinsler lined the first pitch of the game just inside the left-field foul pole for the Rangers’ first homer - and first lead - in eight games. Kinsler singled up the middle to drive home two more in the third and Andrus followed with his two-run blast to left on a 3-1 pitch from Hellickson for a 5-0 lead.
Lobaton hit his solo blast with one out in the third, but Ogando retired James Loney on a grounder with two runners in scoring position later in the frame to end the threat. Andrus added a sacrifice fly in the fifth as Texas won for only the third time in 15 September games.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Texas RHP Joe Nathan, who has 39 saves, pitched a scoreless ninth in only his third outing this month. … Tampa Bay added speedy OF Freddy Guzman to the roster Tuesday. Guzman, who was playing in Mexico before being signed to a minor-league deal by the Rays last month, has not played in the majors since 2009 with the New York Yankees. … The Rangers ended their longest home run drought since 1990, when it lasted eight games. Texas went 297 plate appearances without a blast before Kinsler’s homer.