Josh Hamilton is heating up.
The timing couldn't be better for the Texas Rangers.
Hamilton had four hits Thursday, including the go-ahead
two-run double in the third inning, leading Texas to a 4-1 victory over the
Cleveland Indians.
The All-Star outfielder hit .486 with a homer and eight
RBIs on the Rangers' 10-game trip, raising his average from .220 to .260. More
importantly, he's hitting his stride just as Boston comes to town for a
three-game series with major playoff implications.
"He looked liked Josh Hamilton to me," Texas manager Ron
Washington said. "He's spraying the ball everywhere. As long as he's spraying
the ball all over the ballpark, that's Josh."
The Rangers, who went 5-5 on the trip, trail the Red Sox
by a half-game in the American League wild-card race.
"We always look forward to Boston," Hamilton said.
"They've been good for a few years. Everybody gets fired up for the guys who've
been there the last couple of years."
"It's an important series," Washington added. "We want to
win the series, just like they want to win the series. They know how to win.
They've been around. They're not going anyplace."
Scott Feldman (12-4) worked out of trouble several times
after allowing a first-inning run in winning his third straight start. The
right-hander gave up one run in six innings and struck out six to improve to 8-1
with a 3.33 ERA in 10 road starts this season.
Texas pitchers dominated the series after the Indians
scored five runs in the third inning Tuesday night against Dustin Nippert. The
Rangers held the Indians to one run – which came on Shin-Soo Choo's sacrifice
fly Thursday – in the final 23 innings of the series.
"Their pitching the last couple of days has been very
good," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "They've always hit, but the difference
this year is their pitching. They shut us down."
Hamilton's double off Jeremy Sowers (4-8) gave the
Rangers a 2-1 lead. He also had an infield hit in the first and turned what
appeared to be a routine single into a double by hustling into second base in
the sixth. Hamilton's effort resulted in a run when he advanced to third on a
hit and scored on David Murphy's sacrifice fly.
Hamilton added a single in the eighth and is batting
.522 (12 for 23) with six RBIs in six games against the Indians this season.
Hamilton, who also had a two-run double to left in
Wednesday night's 5-0 win, attributes his recent success to using the whole
field.
"I haven't done it in awhile," he said. "I've been
trying to get out and hit the ball instead of letting the ball get to me. When
you do that, you can't hit the ball effectively to the opposite field."
After batting .304 with a league-best 130 RBIs in 2008,
Hamilton didn't let this season's struggles become a negative.
"It's easy to get down and give up when things aren't
going well," he said. "I'm glad I didn't get to that point."
Hamilton was 9 for 12 with four doubles in the series.
"He's obviously a very talented player and when he puts
the bat on the ball, things happen," Sowers said. "He obviously had a really
good series against us."
Feldman, who is tied for second in the AL in wins,
allowed seven hits and threw 108 pitches.
"I didn't have any quick innings," he said, "but I was
able to make quality pitches with runners in scoring position."
Frank Francisco pitched the ninth for his 15th save and
his first since July 10. He was on the disabled list for three weeks with
pneumonia.
Rookie right-hander Neftali Feliz relieved Feldman in
the seventh and struck out the first five hitters he faced before Jhonny Peralta
grounded out. Feliz also struck out the last two Angels hitters he faced Aug. 7,
tying him with Hall of Famer and team president Nolan Ryan for the club record
with seven straight strikeouts.
Elvis Andrus added a solo homer in the fourth, his fifth
of the season.
Michael Young, who entered the game in a 1-for-18 slump,
singled with one out in the third and took third on Andruw Jones' two-out
double. Hamilton's hit toward the line fell in front of a diving Trevor Crowe in
left field.
NOTES: 2B Ian Kinsler (left hamstring) was 0 for 2 with
a walk and was hit by a pitch in the first game of his rehab assignment at
Double-A Frisco. He's scheduled to be activated Friday. … SS Asdrubal Cabrera
extended his hitting streak to eight games. He's batting .433 (13 for 30) in the
streak. … RHP Justin Masterson, acquired from Boston in the Victor Martinez
trade, will make his second start for the Indians in Minnesota on Friday night.