Josh Hamilton hits first career slam as Rangers hold off Royals 11-9
By DAVID JIMENEZ | Associated Press | Apr 30, 08 10:47 PM CDT in
Sports
Josh Hamilton capped a torrid April with his first career grand slam and the Texas Rangers hit a season-high five home runs to beat the Kansas Royals 11-9 Wednesday night.
Rookie Brandon Boggs hit his first major league homer, and Milton Bradley, David Murphy and Gerald Laird also homered for the Rangers, who roughed up Brian Bannister (3-3).
Kevin Millwood (2-2) allowed five runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings as he picked up his first victory since April 10.
David DeJesus homered and drove in three runs for Kansas City, which trailed 9-1 at one point before scoring five in the seventh to cut Texas' lead to 9-6.
DeJesus hit a two-run homer to knock out Kevin Millwood. Frank Francisco relieved and allowed Alex Gordon's RBI single that brought Kansas City within three.
Jamey Wright struck out John Buck to finally retire the Royals in the seventh.
Buck hit a two-run homer in the ninth off C.J. Wilson to bring Kansas City within 11-9.
Despite the victory, Texas (10-18) finished the month with the most April losses in team history.
Hamilton's slam capped a five-run second inning for Texas. German Duran and Ian Kinsler singled with two outs, and Michael Young walked to load the bases.
The American League RBI leader cleared the bases when he drove a 1-0 pitch from Bannister into the Royals' bullpen in left-center field to give Texas a 7-0 lead.
Hamilton, who has six homers, finished April with 32 RBIs _ the second-highest for the first month of the season in team history. Juan Gonzalez had 35 RBIs in April 1998.
Bannister equaled a career high by giving up seven runs in three innings. He allowed seven hits, walked two and struck in three in his shortest outing of the season.
Joel Peralta relieved Bannister, whose ERA rose from 2.48 to 4.04.
Bradley hit the first of three home runs off Bannister _ a two-run shot in the first.
Boggs, who was 2-for-2 Tuesday night in his first big league game, added a solo blast in the second.
Boggs had hits in his first two at-bats Wednesday to become just the second Rangers player to start his career with four consecutive hits. He was retired in the fifth on a strikeout.
Murphy added a two-run shot in the fifth that extended Texas' cushion to 9-1.
Laird's two-run homer in the seventh made it 11-6, and DeJesus added an RBI groundout in the eighth.
Notes:@ Colorado acquired minor league left-hander Jorge De La Rosa from Kansas City on Tuesday. De La Rosa was player to be named later in the deal that sent right-hander Ramon Ramirez to the Royals in March. ... Texas general manager Jon Daniels said before the game that RHP Jason Jennings is headed to the disabled list with muscle soreness in his forearm. Jennings won't go on the DL until the Rangers need a starting pitcher Saturday. ... Because of the 25-mph winds, fireworks weren't set off after Rangers home runs as they normally do. Fans booed when the announcement was made in the stadium. ... Jose Hernandez started his career with four straight hits for the Rangers Aug. 9-10, 1991.
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