Anaheim, CA – Nelson Cruz hit a three-run home run in a nine- run fourth inning and Yu Darvish struck out 11 in his outing as the Texas Rangers thumped the LA Angels of Anaheim, 11-3, to wrap up a three-game series.
Lance Berkman hit a two-run home run and drove in four while Ian Kinsler, A.J. Pierzynski and David Murphy each drove in a run for the Rangers, who have won five of six.
Darvish (4-1) was strong over his six scoreless innings of work as he gave up just three hits and two walks to improve to 5-1 against the Angels in his career.
"Another tremendous performance, he had a combination of everything," said Rangers manager Ron Washington. "We started getting base hits tonight and Cruz got the big hit. We're playing good baseball."
Peter Bourjos and J.B. Shuck drove in a run each for the Angels, who had won four of five coming into the contest. Michael Roth (1-1) suffered the loss in his first career start as he was tagged for five runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings.
Texas got its big fourth inning started with a walk by Adrian Beltre and Cruz followed with a single. Pierzynski singled home the first run, Chris Gentry walked to load the bases and Murphy drove in another run. Roth then struck out Mitch Moreland, and David Carpenter then took over on the mound.
After walking Kinsler to bring home Pierzynski, Elvis Andrus struck out, but Berkman stroked a single to center for two more runs. The Rangers loaded the bases yet again when Beltre worked his second walk of the inning and a wild pitch scored Kinsler. Cruz then smacked the ball over the center field wall for a 9-0 lead.
Berkman hit a two-run home run in the sixth for an 11-0 advantage.
Darvish, meanwhile, had little trouble from the Angels as he didn't allow a runner past first base and struck out the side in the fifth.
"He threw a lot of fastballs, he was really on," said Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick. "Give him credit, the guy goes out there and gets outs."
In the eighth, Bourjos singled in a run, Hank Cogner brought in another when he hit into a double play, and Shuck later smacked a single to right for another run to make the game a bit more respectable.
Game Notes
Texas starts a four-game series in Minnesota on Thursday ... The Angels hit the road and will begin a four-game set in Seattle on Thursday ... Darvish has 49 strikeouts on the season to lead the majors ... Texas has won four of six from the Angels on the young season.
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