Texas’ Palmeiro Hits Two Homers

Rafael Palmeiro has been on hot streaks but never before like this.

Palmeiro hit two home runs and the Texas Rangers hit three consecutive homers for the second time in club history Wednesday night in a 7-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Palmeiro hit a two-run shot to right field against Bobby Witt in the third inning and had a solo shot to right-center in the fifth. He has five homers in six games and 11 this season. It was his first multi-homer game of the season and the 20th of his career.

“This [hot streak] is one of the best if not the best I’ve ever had,” Palmeiro said. “I feel good and just hope to keep playing well.”

Palmeiro was 13 for 26 with five homers and 13 runs batted in during the Rangers’ six-game homestand. He had six consecutive hits over two games and reached base seven times in a row before popping out in the seventh inning Wednesday. In his last 18 games, Palmeiro is 31 for 68 to raise his batting average from .270 to .377, second in the American League.

The two teams combined for seven home runs, including Jose Canseco’s 16th for the Devil Rays. Eleven of the 13 runs came on homers.

Jeff Zimmerman (3-0) pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings, tying a club record by retiring 23 consecutive batters. Gary Mienke retired the same number in August 1990.