ARLINGTON, Texas – Even Josh Hamilton couldn't make up for the Texas Rangers' sloppy play on Sunday.
Hamilton hit his 35th homer and drove in four runs, but the Rangers made a couple of costly fielding blunders in a 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
"The frustrating thing was that we didn't play as sharply today," Texas outfielder David Murphy said. "If we did, it would have been a different outcome."
Ben Revere had four hits as Minnesota stopped a five-game slide. Cole De Vries pitched five effective innings to win for the first time in nearly two months.
Texas' defensive struggles helped the Twins grab a 3-2 lead in the third.
Revere opened the inning with an infield single and advanced to second when first baseman Mitch Moreland threw the ball away.
Scott Feldman fielded Joe Mauer's grounder and had Revere in a rundown between second and third. The Rangers, however, couldn't execute the play as third baseman Adrian Beltre dropped the ball, allowing Revere to reach third.
"We messed up the play there," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.
Despite those miscues, the Rangers still had a chance to keep the Twins off the board in the inning.
Hamilton caught Justin Morneau's shallow pop in left. He dropped the ball transferring it from his glove to his hand, and Revere scored on what was ruled a sacrifice fly.
"That was a run that probably wouldn't have been on the board," Washington said.
Texas' woes in the field overshadowed another huge game from Hamilton.
He hit a two-run single in the first, then belted a two-run homer in the sixth that trimmed Minnesota's lead to 6-4. The big game ran his total to 111 RBIs, the most in the majors.
"He's been barreling up the ball when they make a mistake," Washington said.
De Vries (3-5) was 0-4 in 10 starts since beating Kansas City on June 30. The rookie allowed two runs and three singles.
"I'm happy to have a performance like that against a powerful offense," De Vries said.
The Twins avoided getting swept in the four-game series. They finished a 10-game road trip with a 2-8 record.
Revere lined an RBI triple in the sixth that gave the Twins a 6-2 lead. The speedy right fielder reached base five times and scored three runs.
Glen Perkins worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in 10 chances.
"It was a nice win after a long road trip," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Feldman (6-10) lost his fourth straight start. He gave up six runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.
"I made good pitches," Feldman said. "That's the frustrating thing about it."
Texas jumped on De Vries after a rain delay of 1 hour, 26 minutes.
The AL West leaders got three straight singles after play resumed, capped by Hamilton's hit that put Texas on top 2-1.
De Vries retired 15 of his next 16 batters. The only hitter to reach was Geovany Soto, who struck out but got to first on a passed ball.
Two batters after Hamilton's 35th home run, Nelson Cruz added a solo shot to cut Minnesota's lead to 6-5.
Texas center fielder Craig Gentry took a home run away from Mauer in the ninth. Gentry went back to the nearly 9-foot wall, jumped up and snared the drive before it cleared the fence.
"The catch was huge," Washington said. "We were still one swing away from tying the ballgame."
NOTES: Twins LHP Scott Diamond said he is ready to make his scheduled start Tuesday as he awaits word on his appeal of a six-game suspension for a pitch thrown near the Hamilton's head. Diamond said the appeal was filed late Friday afternoon and was uncertain whether the league would address it by Monday. "I don't know when I will hear," Diamond said. "It might take them a day or two." ... The Rays announced that RHP Alex Cobb will start against the Rangers on Wednesday. ... Gentry ran into 2B Ian Kinsler making a catch to end the fifth. Gentry was down for a couple of minutes, but walked off on his own and remained in the game.
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