One good beating apparently deserves another. After the Indians beat Texas, 9-3, on Monday, the Rangers win Tuesday's game, 12-1.
View full sizeIndians pitcher Justin Masterson grabs a come-backer from the Rangers' Joaquin Arias in the third inning Tuesday. It was a rough outing for Masterson, who gave up seven runs in 5-1/3 innings.ARLINGTON, Texas -- After the Indians pounded the Rangers on Monday night with the help of four homers, the Rangers returned the favor Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Joaquin Arias drove in a career-high four runs and teammates Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and David Murphy homered as the Rangers rolled the Indians, 12-1.
Justin Masterson, who entered the game with a 1.86 lifetime ERA against Texas, allowed seven runs on nine hits in 5-1/3 innings. The seven earned runs matched Masterson's season high.
Texas took control of the game with a five-run sixth. Arias hit a three-run double off Masterson for a 6-1 lead. Hector Ambriz relieved and gave up a two-run homer to Guerrero. The Texas designated hitter, thought to be on the downside of his career, drove the ball 433 feet to left-center field for his 19th homer.
Guerrero, one of five Rangers headed for the All-Star Game, has 72 RBI.
The AL-West leading Rangers, who won for just the fifth time in their past 11 games, made it 11-1 with three more runs in the seventh. Cruz started the seventh with his 11th homer of the season. The Rangers other two runs scored on infield singles.
Ambriz did not fare much better than Masterson. He allowed four runs on six hits in 1-2/3 innings. He struck out one.
Jayson Nix tried to get the Indians off to a good start. Nix homered in the first off C.J. Wilson for a 1-0 lead. It was his third homer in the past two games. Nix's three homers came in the span of five at-bats.
View full sizeJayson Nix gives the Indians what would be their only run with a solo shot in the first inning. Claimed on waivers from the White Sox on June 24, Nix has four homers and seven RBI in 11 games with the Tribe.
The homer was the only damage the Indians could do off Wilson (7-4, 3.24 ERA). He allowed one run on two hits over six innings. The opposition was hitting .218 against Wilson before the game and the Indians found out why.
Wilson is 6-1 at home this year.
Masterson (3-8, 5.22) didn't hold the 1-0 lead long. Hamilton hit a leadoff homer in the second for his 21st of the season.
Texas broke the 1-1 tie on Andres Blanco's two-run double in the fourth. There were two out, but Masterson couldn't retire the No. 9 hitter, who doubled to right. Masterson threw 94 pitches, 56 for strikes.
The Indians have been on a roll. They entered the game having won seven of their previous nine. However, they continued to struggle on the road. They've lost nine of their past 12 road games. They are 16-28 away from Progressive Field.
After collecting 12 hits Monday, the Indians were held to five Tuesday. Nix had two of the five hits. Rookie Michael Brantley broke an 0-for-17 skid with a single in the eighth.
Texas finished with 17 hits.
In the fifth inning, an unidentified man fell out of the club-level seats while trying to catch a foul ball with Cruz at the plate. He fell an estimated 30 feet into the seats behind the Rangers' dugout. A Rangers spokesman said the man injured four people in the fall.
The man was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. A Rangers spokesman said the man could move his extremities and responded to the paramedics who treated him and carried him out of the ballpark on a stretcher.
The four people injured in the accident were treated at the ballpark.
Play was stopped 16 minutes and both teams left the field while the man was being treated. There were screams when it first happened and it appeared most of the players on the field witnessed it.
Indians shortstop Jason Donald was crouched down on the outfield grass several minutes after it happened.
To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158