A’s Help Improve Rangers’ Fortune

Bad luck has followed the Texas Rangers since Alex Rodriguez joined them before last season.

When a big dose of good fortune helped the Rangers end their eight-game losing streak Sunday with a remarkable victory, Rodriguez hoped it was the start of a bigger change.

Ivan Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded single in the top of the 12th inning and the Rangers survived three consecutive innings of peril before rallying for a 7-3 victory over the Athletics at Oakland.

Gabe Kapler had a two-run single and Alex Rodriguez hit a run-scoring triple in a five-run rally in the 12th, helping the Rangers escape the Coliseum with only their second victory since the All-Star break.

The final score made it look easy, but the 16 runners left on base by the A’s--including eight in the last three innings--suggested otherwise. On nearly every key play, the Rangers got the break.

“It felt so good to sneak one out,” said Alex Rodriguez, who went three for five. “I think we’ve hit rock bottom. It was nice to come up with a big win. Hopefully, we’re on the way up now. This could change a lot of things for us.”

Whether it’s injuries, inconsistent hitting or combustible relief pitching, the Rangers know all about bad luck and wasted opportunities. This time, however, it was the streaking A’s who didn’t take advantage of their chances.

The A’s stranded two runners in the ninth and left the bases loaded in the 10th and 11th.

“We finally got some big outs when we needed them,” Texas Manager Jerry Narron said. “When you do that, you win ballgames.”

Kansas City 13, Cleveland 12--Raul Ibanez hit a tying, two-run homer in the ninth inning, then was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th to lift the Royals at Kansas City, Mo.

Ibanez drove in five runs, giving him 33 runs batted in in 22 games.

Milton Bradley went five for six with a homer, three doubles and five RBIs for the Indians. The Indians finished with a season-high 20 hits, including three doubles by Einar Diaz.

The Royals, who trailed, 6-1, in the second, took a 10-9 lead in the sixth on Carlos Beltran’s second grand slam this season and fourth of his career.

Chris Magruder and Omar Vizquel led off the game with consecutive home runs.

Tampa Bay 7, Toronto 5--Jorge Sosa earned his first major league victory and ended the Devil Rays’ 13-game road losing streak.

Tampa Bay’s road skid was the longest since Philadelphia dropped 14 in a row in 1997. The Devil Rays hadn’t won away from Tropicana Field since June 18 at San Francisco. The Devil Rays had lost seven in a row and 15 of 16.

Eric Hinske and Chris Woodward homered for the Blue Jays, who had won four in a row.

Sosa (1-2) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. The 24-year-old converted outfielder, in his first season above Class A, struck out five and walked two in his fifth start.

Chicago 8, Baltimore 7--The White Sox took advantage of three ninth-inning errors, including two by Chris Singleton, to score two unearned runs at Baltimore and end a four-game skid.

Ray Durham, Jose Valentin and Tony Graffanino homered for Chicago, but the decisive runs came courtesy of the Baltimore miscues.

Jay Gibbons hit two of Baltimore’s four home runs.

Minnesota 4, Detroit 2--David Ortiz homered for the fourth time in three games and the Twins completed a three-game sweep at Comerica Park.

The AL Central-leading Twins won their fifth consecutive game. Detroit lost its sixth in a row.

Ortiz hit a solo home run, his 11th, to tie the score, 2-2, in the fourth. He is 13 for 35 with six home runs and nine RBIs since the All-Star break.

Eric Milton (12-7) gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Eddie Guardado pitched a scoreless ninth for his 32nd save.