BALTIMORE (AP) — Jeremy Guthrie pitched seven innings of six-hit ball, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Texas Rangers 7-0 Sunday to earn their second series win since the All-Star break.
Brian Roberts, Jeff Fiorentino and Chad Moeller each had two hits and two RBIs for the Orioles, who took two of three. Baltimore's only other series win since mid-July was against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 21-23.
Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz had two singles apiece for the Rangers, whose pursuit of a playoff berth took an unlikely hit against a last-place team that remains one defeat away from clinching a 12th straight losing season.
Guthrie (10-13) continued his late-season revival with one of his best outings of the year. The right-hander struck out six, walked one and allowed only one runner past second base. He has won three of his last four starts, allowing only four runs over 27 innings to get his ERA below 5.00 (4.96) for the first time since May 30.
With Guthrie leading the way, the Orioles won a second straight game for only the third time since the All-Star break. Baltimore hasn't won three in a row since the third week in June.
Texas starter Derek Holland (7-10) struck out the first two batters he faced in a perfect first inning, but Moeller hit a two-out, two-run double in the second.
The Orioles chased Holland during a four-run fourth. After Fiorentino singled in a run, Roberts hit a two-run single and Nolan Reimold capped the outburst with a sacrifice fly. Roberts returned to his customary leadoff spot after batting third in the previous two games.
Fiorentino added an RBI single in the seventh.
Notes
Rangers OF Josh Hamilton returned to Texas for more treatment on the pinched nerve in his back. … Baltimore improved to 2-8 in series finales, 1-5 at home, against the AL West. … Rangers manager Ron Washington flip-flopped his starting rotation for Monday and Tuesday in Cleveland, opting for Tommy Hunter followed by Brandon McCarthy. … The season series ended tied 5-5. Texas had won it for four straight years.