Rangers 4, Orioles 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Left-hander Cole Hamels struck out 10 and limited the Baltimore Orioles to two hits over eight innings in the Texas Rangers' 4-1 victory Friday.
Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo had a solo home run and two RBIs, while catcher Chris Gimenez's solo homer in the fifth represented the go-ahead run.
Center fielder DeLino DeShields added a run-scoring triple for Texas (66-61), which remained a half-game ahead of Minnesota in the chase for the second wild-card spot in the American League. Texas entered the day five games back of Houston in the AL West.
Right-hander Shawn Tolleson pitched a scoreless ninth for his 27th save.
If not for a hiccup in the fourth, Hamels (2-1) might have gone the distance.
The lefty, acquired from Philadelphia at the trade deadline, walked three in the fourth, including Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis with the bases loaded to account for the Orioles' only run.
After that inning, Hamels retired 14 of the last 15 hitters he faced, including 13 straight.
The outing was his best with the Rangers, his final line reading one run on two hits and four walks. The game marked the 30th of his career with 10 or more strikeouts and matched the Rangers' season high by a starting pitcher.
In his last two starts, Hamels is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA.
Baltimore (63-65) lost for the ninth time in 11 games and dropped three games back of Texas in the wild-card standings.
Right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman (2-6) took the loss for Baltimore (63-65), giving up four runs on nine hits and one walk over 62/3 innings.
The Orioles took advantage of Hamels' wildness to score in the fourth.
Third baseman Manny Machado and left fielder Steve Pearce walked to load the bases with one out. Hamels struck out center fielder Adam Jones but walked Davis, who was credited with the RBI.
The Rangers evened the score with Choo's home run in the bottom of the fourth and took a lead with two outs in the fifth with Gimenez's solo homer to center and Choo's RBI fielder's choice that scored second baseman Hanser Alberto.
Alberto got into scoring position from first on center fielder DeLino DeShields' perfectly executed hit-and-run, hitting through the open hole on the right side as the second baseman went to cover second.
NOTES: Texas called up LHP Andrew Faulkner from Triple-A Round Rock and optioned RHP Nick Martinez to Round Rock. ... Texas designated LHP Chris Rearick for assignment. ... Baltimore reinstated C Steve Clevenger from the paternity list, selected the contract of OF Dariel Alvarez from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned OF Henry Urrutia to Norfolk.