Josh Hamilton banged out four hits including a homer and three RBI's to help lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. Colby Lewis pitched into the seventh inning while allowing only two runs to capture his sixth win of the season. Randall Delgado takes the loss in his major league debut for Atlanta.
The Rangers struck first taking a 1-0 lead in the second off of back to back doubles by Michael Young and Nelson Cruz. The Braves would tie things up in the fourth when Brian McCann led off the inning with his tenth home run of the season.
Texas would answer right back in the fifth. Elvis Andrus reached on an error by Brooks Conrad to lead off the inning. Josh Hamilton then followed with a long two run home run into the right center field stands to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead. Adrian Beltre then singled off of Delgado prompting Fredi Gonzalez to go to the bullpen. Cristhian Martinez replaced Delgado and immediately got into even more trouble. Michael Young singled to put runners at first and second for Nelson Cruz who lined a double to deep center that made the score 5-1.
Atlanta would close to 5-2 in the sixth when Freddie Freeman launched a solo homer to right. However, the Rangers answered back with an insurance run in the ninth as Ian Kinsler scored on a Josh Hamilton RBI single to extend the lead to 6-2. Former Braves prospect Neftali Feliz closed things out in the ninth.
The Braves offense could only muster five hits with both runs coming off of solo homers. Atlanta also committed three errors in the game. The Rangers banged out 14 hits against Atlanta pitching including four by Josh Hamilton. Michael Young and Nelson Cruz each had two hits for Texas.
Game 2 of the series is tomorrow with Derek Lowe taking his turn on the mound for the Braves.