Buehrle suffers again as Rangers top White Sox

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago White Sox starter Mark Buehrle suffered a second consecutive early exit when he was forced off the mound in the sixth inning of his team's 9-6 loss to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

Pitching for the first time since he was ejected in the third for arguing a call in a game against Cleveland last Wednesday, Buehrle was called in when the Rangers strung together five runs and went on to snap a four-game losing streak.

Buehrle (3-6) left with the game tied 4-4 but was credited for allowing six runs and 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Craig Gentry and Ian Kinsler both had two-run hits as part of the five-run onslaught, helping Texas (27-24) recover from a 4-2 deficit to take a 7-4 advantage.

"We were coming off four straight losses. It was good to get a win to get untracked," Kinsler told reporters. "A bunch of guys in the bullpen were in the game. We had big hits off the bench and big hits from the starters. It was a good win."

The White Sox (22-29) staged a minor rally to move back within one run in the bottom of the inning and loaded the bases with two outs, but reliever Chris Ray managed to end the threat.

Pinch-hitter Justin Smoak tacked on insurance runs for the Rangers with an RBI single in the seventh and a homer in the ninth before Texas closer Neftali Feliz escaped a bases-loaded jam to secure his 14th save of the season.

Rangers starter Rich Harden fell into a 4-0 hole in the second but settled down to pick up the win after completing five innings.

(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)