Texas streak at 10 after 10-run win over Bucs
ARLINGTON, Texas — Michael Young only had to play half a game to have a huge impact for the streaking Texas Rangers.
Young had three hits and drove in four runs while batting four times in the first four innings Wednesday night, then got a well-deserved break. The Rangers went on to extend the majors' longest winning streak this season to 10 in a row with a 13-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"That's Michael," Elvis Andrus said with a smile after three hits of his own to snap out of a 3-for-33 slump.
"Michael got us going early and kept going," manager Ron Washington said. "Everybody followed suit."
The AL West-leading Rangers have won at least 10 consecutive games for only the second time in franchise history. The record of 14 in a row came in 1991.
Even with slugger Josh Hamilton getting a requested night off, and putting his career-best 17-game hitting streak on hold after appearing in 31 consecutive games, the AL West-leading Rangers matched their season high with 13 runs and had 17 hits. Catcher Matt Treanor was the only Texas starter without a hit, but he did have a sacrifice fly and scored a run.
Young's two-run homer in the first off Paul Maholm (4-6) was his 10th of the season and second in two nights. Young, the franchise's career leader with 1,755 hits, added a single and scored in a five-run second inning, then had a two-run double in a six-run fourth that put Texas ahead 13-2.
An inning later, Young was lifted for a pinch-hitter only a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Rookie reliever Alexi Ogando (3-0) pitched three scoreless innings and has won in all three of his major league appearances, allowing only one hit and no runs over 6Z\c innings since making his debut at Florida last week.
Young had the first of five consecutive singles for Texas — the last four all drove in runs — that chased Maholm without recording an out in the second. The inning had started with a walk and an error.
Maholm allowed seven runs (five earned) and seven hits with four walks.
"It was one of those days. It was the worst outing of my career," Maholm said. "You leave pitches over the middle and fall behind and that's what happens."
