Guerrero’s hit sinks Pirates

Associated Press

arlington, texas

Vladimir Guerrero singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers won their 11th straight game, rallying from a four-run deficit to beat the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 on Thursday night.

Josh Hamilton had three hits for the AL West leaders, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games. Texas’ winning streak is the longest in the majors this season. The club record is 14 straight wins in 1991.

Elvis Andrus drew a one-out walk in the ninth from Steven Jackson (0-1) and went to second on Michael Young’s single. Andrus dashed to third on Ian Kinsler’s flyout and scored when Guerrero laced a 2-2 pitch to left, completing a three-game sweep for the Rangers.

Frank Francisco (6-3) allowed two hits in a scoreless ninth, setting a career high for wins.

Hamilton went 3 for 4 in his return to the lineup after a day off. He is 36 for 72 (.500) during his hitting streak, raising his batting average from .281 to .345.

Pittsburgh starter Jeff Karstens gave up three runs and seven hits in 51/3 innings after the Pirates were knocked around for 19 runs in the first two games of the series.

The right-hander took a 5-3 lead into the seventh, striking out five and walking one in his fifth start since he was promoted from the bullpen on June 1.

But the Rangers, who trailed 4-0 after one inning, pulled even at 5 with a two-run seventh against Evan Meek on Young’s RBI triple and Kinsler’s run-scoring single.

Young, the franchise leader with 1,757 hits, became the club’s triples king with 45, breaking a tie with Ruben Sierra.