Rangers 4, Brewers 1
MILWAUKEE -- Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland hit solo home runs and Derek Holland struck out six in the Texas Rangers' 4-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday at Miller Park.
Holland allowed 10 hits but held Milwaukee to just one run over seven innings to win his second in a row and third of the season against one loss.
Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse was again the victim of no run support -- the Brewers had scored just 13 runs in his six previous starts this season -- but also got himself into trouble throughout the evening, giving up nine hits -- including the home runs to Kinsler and Moreland -- with two walks and six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
Lohse has now lost three in a row and has allowed eight runs on 20 hits in his last two outings.
Kinsler came into the game hitless in his last nine at-bats and opened the game with a base hit. He advanced to second on a throwing error by Brewers shortstop Jean Segura and scored on an Adrian Beltre base hit.
Kinsler would homer his next time up -- a solo shot to left in the second inning -- and he doubled his third time up.
Moreland homered with two out in the third to make it 3-0. The blast was Moreland's third in as many games.
The Brewers' had a chance to even the score in the third, putting runners at second and third with two out, but Segura was thrown out at home trying to score on Aramis Ramirez's base hit to center.
Milwaukee finally got on the board in the sixth, when Ryan Braun scored on Ramirez's double. But Ramirez was caught trying to take third base on a wild pitch and, after Carlos Gomez tripled with two outs, Rickie Weeks ended the inning, and the Brewers' threat, with a groundout to second.
Texas scored in each of the first three innings against Lohse.
NOTES: Texas has not lost more than two consecutive games this season. ... Milwaukee has outscored opponents 30-7 in the first inning this season, the largest margin in baseball. ... Nelson Cruz has five home runs and 17 RBI in his last 15 games, but has gone 5-for-31 in his last nine, dropping his average from .322 to .281. ... The Brewers lead all of baseball with 43 infield hits this season. ... Jeff Baker is 22-for-53 in 20 career games at Miller Park. ... Braun has hit safely in 29 consecutive interleague games. ... Rangers catcher A.J. Pierzynski missed his second consecutive game due to a sore right oblique muscle. He underwent an MRI earlier Wednesday. ... Brewers 2B Weeks, hitting .193 in 31 games this season, was dropped to seventh in Milwaukee's batting order.
