Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Rangers' run reaches 11 as this team gets yet another sweep on this road trip. The team celebrates (above) after fighting back from down 4-0 in Thursday night's game, to win 6-5. (AP Photo/Cody Duty)

After a dominating performance Wednesday night, a 13-3 victory in which everyone swung the bat well, the Texas Rangers (44-28) had to get gritty Thursday. The Pittsburgh Pirates (25-47) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and the Rangers were forced to battle their way back, showing they can win in multiple ways - just as they've shown throughout the win streak.

"It's a family that wins together," said Vladimir Guerrero, who knocked in the game-winning run Thursday night, through a translator. "We're really playing well."

Texas pulverized Pittsburgh pitching Wednesday night, game two of the series, racking up 13 runs on 17 hits - both winning-streak highs. With Josh Hamilton getting the night off, Michael Young had to pick up the slack and he eagerly obliged, going 3 for 4 with four RBI.

"Michael got us going early and kept going," said manager Ron Washington. "Everybody followed suit."

Nelson Cruz drove in three runs in his second game back off of the disabled list and Ian Kinsler belted in two more as he went 2 for 5 on the night. For the game, seven Rangers' batters drove in at least one run.

"That's a hot-hitting team and they took advantage," said Pirates' manager John Russell. "They took advantage of mistakes and we made too many tonight."

Rangers' starter Dustin Nippert lasted only three innings, giving up two runs with four hits and four walks on 82 pitches, although he did strike out seven batters. Alexei Ogando (W, 3-0) followed with three perfect innings, striking out two, as he's given up no runs and now has three wins in the first three outings of his career. He's the first major league relief pitcher since 1968 to get three wins in his first three relief appearances.

Thursday's game wasn't quite as easy for Texas, as starter Scott Feldman (ND) put the team in an early hole. Although the Pirates weren't exactly pounding Feldman for hits, as it seemed every run in the first inning came from a weakly hit ground-ball-with-eyes or a bloop single that just fell in front of Rangers' outfielders. For the game Feldman gave up five runs on 12 hits in six innings, but only two of those were extra-base hits and he did strike out seven batters.

"It was the first inning," said Guerrero. "We know we still have a lot of game to play."

He wasn't kidding, Texas scored a run in the second, two in the fourth, and two in the seventh to tie Pittsburgh at 5-all. While the combo of Darren Oliver and Frank Francisco (W, 6-3) pitched three scoreless innings to give Texas a chance in the bottom of the ninth.

A walk from Elvis Andrus, a single from Young and an Ian Kinsler flyout put runners on the corners for the Rangers with two outs and Guerrero at the plate. Guerrero fell behind in the count 2-1, even taking a strike looking, before belting a single to left field and initiating the customary dog-pile at home plate. It's Guerrero's second game-winning hit in a Rangers' uniform and 13th for his career.

Despite facing the largest deficit of the last 11 games, Texas was able to persevere thanks to it's collective 'never-say-die' attitude.

"They don't quit," said Washington of his team. "They don't give up. They play all nine innings. They never really feel they're out of games."

The 11-game streak is only the second 10-plus winning streak in franchise history and second only to a 14-game winning streak in 1991.

The Rangers look to push the streak to 12 as the Houston Astros come to down for a three-game weekend series. Texas won three games in Houston last weekend, but the Astros have won two of three since then and now have a 28-45 record.

Friday night's game, a 7:05 p.m. scheduled start, has Colby Lewis (7-4, 3.07 ERA) taking the mound for Texas and Brian Moehler (0-4, 5.86) getting the nod from Houston.

News and Notes:

• Micheal Young, with triples in back-to-back games, is now the all-time Rangers' leader in triples with 45.
• Josh Hamilton returned from a well-deserved night for Thursday's game, going 3 for 4 and pushing his career-high hitting streak to 18 games.
• In three game since returning from the disabled list, Nelson Cruz has gone 3 for 10 with at least one RBI in each game and five RBI total.
  
• Texas is now 44-28 on the season, which is the second-best record in the Major Leagues behind only the New York Yankees (45-27).

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)