Lewis, Hamilton lead Rangers to 7-2 win over Rays
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Colby Lewis allowed one run in six innings, Josh Hamilton had a two-run single and the Texas Rangers snapped Tampa Bay's six-game winning streak, beating the Rays 7-2 Saturday night.
Lewis (3-0) allowed three hits and three walks to improve to 4-0 in his career against the Rays. Tampa Bay's only scoring off Lewis came on Matt Joyce's second-inning homer.
Rays starter Jeff Niemann (1-3) gave up three runs and three walks in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander has not pitched past the sixth inning in his four starts this season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hamilton went 2 for 3 and now leads the AL with 24 RBIs. Texas improved to 16-5 and equaled the best 21-game start in club history.
Adrian Beltre hit a three-run home run off reliever Burke Badenhop in the seventh to give the Rangers a 7-1 lead.
Tampa Bay had been on its longest winning streak in a single season since a seven-game run July 24-30, 2010.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ian Kinsler walked to start the game and advanced to third on Elvis Andrus' double to right.
Hamilton, who hit his AL-leading ninth home run Friday, lifted a single to shallow left to put the Rangers on top 2-0 in the first.
Tampa Bay produced a season-high 16 hits and hit a pair of home runs in an 8-4 victory over Texas Friday night.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Saturday, Lewis was stingy despite giving up his first walk in 25 2-3 innings in the first. Other than Joyce's home run, Evan Longoria's 40-foot dribbler down the third-base line in the first was the only other hit off Lewis through five innings.
Carlos Pena singled leading off the sixth before he was erased on Longoria's double play grounder.
Lewis, who had walked only one batter in his first four starts, struck out five. Texas' opening day starter lowered his ERA to 1.93.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hamilton scored an unearned run in the sixth when shortstop Elliot Johnson mishandled Nelson Cruz's grounder.
After Mitch Moreland scored on Jose Molina's throwing error in the seventh, the Rays elected to intentionally walk Hamilton. That set the stage for Beltre's three-run blast to right.
Tampa Bay's bullpen had not given up an earned run in its last 16 innings coming into the game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Notes: The Rangers signed RHP Justin Miller to a minor-league deal Saturday. Miller had just been released by the club Monday. ... Longoria had an RBI double in the eighth. That gives him 105 RBIs in his last 119 games dating to last season. ... Kinsler was the designated hitter for the fourth time this season instead of his normal spot at second base. Michael Young got the nod at second in place of Kinsler.