Arlington, TX – Mitch Moreland stroked the tiebreaking RBI double as part of a six-run eighth inning, as the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins, 10-6, Thursday night.
Josh Hamilton knocked in five runs and was also thrown at in the third inning, causing Twins pitcher Scott Diamond and manager Ron Gardenhire to be ejected.
The move was in retaliation to Joe Mauer being hit in the upper back by a pitch from Roy Oswalt in the top of the third.
The Twins went 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 14 men on base.
Adrian Beltre, who hit three homers in Wednesday's victory over the Baltimore Orioles, went deep again Thursday. He also doubled with one out in the eighth against Jared Burton (1-1).
Trevor Plouffe's error on a grounder hit by Nelson Cruz was followed by Moreland's hit to left-center field. Following David Murphy's intentional walk, Geovany Soto reached safely when shortstop Pedro Plorimon Jr. fumbled a grounder, making it 6-4. A bases-loaded walk to Ian Kinsler, an RBI single from Elvin Andrus and two-run base hit by Hamilton capped the rally.
The Twins scored twice courtesy of an error on Andrus in the ninth inning.
Mike Adams (3-3) struck out two batters in one inning for the win, and Joe Nathan stranded two men in scoring position by retiring Ben Revere on a fly ball to earn his 25th save of the season.
"I'm still absorbing it," said Ron Washington, who got his 500th win as Rangers manager. "I didn't get there alone. I just hope I can be here and win 500 more."
Hamilton's two-run double in the bottom of the first came after Mauer gave the Twins the lead with an RBI double.
The Twins scored a run in an ugly third inning. In the top of the frame, Mauer was hit square in the upper back on a 3-0 pitch from Oswalt.
As Hamilton came to plate with one out in the bottom half, he said something to Mauer. Diamond's first pitch went over the head of Hamilton.
Home plate umpire Wally Bell immediately ejected Diamond and then Gardenhire, who came out of the dugout to argue.
Anthony Swarzak came in to replace Diamond.
After the game, Gardenhire refused to get into the situation with Diamond and the ejections.
Beltre hit a solo homer to highlight a two-run fifth inning, but the Twins tied the game the next frame. Matt Carson scored on Florimon's groundout.
Span, who injured his collarbone Aug. 12 in a 10-inning loss against Tampa Bay and had missed the previous nine games, tied the contest with a line single to right field.
"The defense let us down there at the end," Gardenhire said. "We had plenty of opportunities. One of those tough ones to take."
Game Notes
Texas' Michael Young left the game to attend the birth of his child ... Mauer has caught 830 career games and is just one away from tying Earl Battey (831) for first on the Twins all-time games caught list ... The Rangers have won six of seven against the Twins this season.
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