Rangers rally to defeat Indians

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Endy Chavez had four hits and the Texas Rangers overcame a three-run deficit to beat the Cleveland Indians 7-4 Thursday night.

Yorvit Torrealba drove in two runs and Nelson Cruz twice doubled to start three-run rallies as the defending AL champions won for the fourth time in their last five road games.

Chavez had a run-scoring triple and scored in a three-run sixth against Carlos Carrasco (4-3) that put Texas ahead 6-3. His ninth four-hit game tied a career high. Since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on May 14, he is hitting .415 (17 of 41).

The Rangers had only one hit through four innings before tying the score at 3 in the fifth.

Cleveland dropped to 19-7 at home and 20-7 when scoring first. Carrasco couldn’t hold a 3-0 lead but the Indians still have the best record in the AL.

Michael Kirkman (1-0) earned his first career win. The left-hander allowed one run over three innings in his 18th career relief outing. Neftali Perez pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances.

The Indians went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, twice making three straight outs with two runners on base.

Cleveland scored three times off Rangers starter Dave Bush in the second. Travis Buck and Orlando Cabrera each had run-scoring singles and another run scored on an RBI groundout by Jack Hannahan.

Bush started in place of left-hander Matt Harrison, who has a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Held to one hit over four innings, the Rangers tied it at 3 in the fifth. Cruz doubled, moved up on one groundout and scored on another. Chavez then singled and after Ian Kinsler walked, Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton each lined two-out RBI singles.

With one out in the sixth, Cruz doubled to left. He went to third on a single by Mitch Moreland and scored on a sacrifice fly by Torrealba to put the Rangers ahead 4-3. Chavez then tripled home Moreland.