Indians 5, Rangers 2
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Cleveland Indians rolled through a slumping Texas Rangers team to win their first series against the Rangers in Arlington since 2008 with a 5-2 win Wednesday night.
Jason Kipnis collected three hits and Ubaldo Jimenez turned in an effective start to stymie a slumping Rangers team that has now dropped six of its last nine games. The Indians are now the winners of two consecutive after having lost eight straight, and they find themselves one game below .500.
The Indians had lost 12 straight games on the road coming into the series, but the two wins get them back on track as they head home to Progressive Field on Friday to begin a much-needed 10-day homestand.
Mike Aviles hit a two-run homer and Jimenez pitched five innings to get his fifth win.
Aviles put the Indians on the board with a two-run homer to left field in the second inning, and the Indians didn't look back.
An RBI single by Michael Brantley in the third scored Michael Bourn, and Jason Kipnis belted a solo homer in the fifth.
Leonys Martin responded in the fifth by sending a hanging changeup into the Rangers' bullpen to get Texas on the board. The Rangers then gathered a pair of hits and a walk, but Jimenez induced a double play and a weak grounder to end the inning.
Jimenez gave up one run on four hits and four walks while striking out four.
The Indians slapped Nick Tepesch around by collecting eight hits and five runs against the Rangers rookie, punctuated by Carlos Santana's RBI double in the fifth inning. Tepesch was done for the night by then.
The Rangers saved a run in the first when David Murphy gunned down Michael Bourn at home trying to score from second. Murphy delivered a perfect throw from left field that beat the speedy outfielder by three steps.
NOTES: The Rangers signed third-round pick David Ledbetter, a right-handed pitcher from Cedarville University. They've signed the first 10 picks and 12 of the first 13 players they drafted this year. Cole Wiper, a 10th-round pick, remains unsigned. ... C Lou Marson's rehab stint was cut short when he experienced more soreness in his shoulder on Wednesday. The 26-year-old catcher has been on the disabled list since April 25 after aggravating a shoulder injury that developed during spring training. There's no timetable for his return. ... Ian Kinsler was cleared to begin a three-day rehab assignment in Double-A Frisco. He aims to return for Sunday's game against Toronto. ... Jason Giambi was hit by a pitch in his first two at-bats. ... LHP Michael Kirkman was moved to the 60-day disabled list to make room for RHP Justin Miller, who was optioned to Double-A Frisco to return from Tommy John surgery.
