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Kazmir Leads Rays Over Rangers 7-3

Tribune photo by ROBERT BURKE

The Rays' Scott Kazmir, with veins popping, throws hard against the Texas Rangers.

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The Associated Press

Published: May 26, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Scott Kazmir won his fourth straight start, striking out 10 in seven innings to lead the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays over the Texas Rangers 7-3 Monday night.

Eric Hinske hit a three-run homer for the Rays, who have won 16 of their last 17 home games and at 31-20 have the best record in the major leagues. Tampa Bay is just the second team — joining the 1903 New York Giants — to have the best mark on Memorial Day after finishing with the worst record in the big leagues the previous season (66-96).

While Tampa Bay is 11 games over .500 for the first time, the Rays drew an announced crowd of just 12,174 for the holiday game.

Kazmir (4-1) retired his first 10 batters, seven on strikeouts, before Michael Young singled to center with one out in the fourth. Kazmir allowed one run and three hits, striking out the side in the first and third innings. He has given up two runs over 26 innings during his winning streak.

Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton, taken by the Rays with the first overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft, went 0-for-4 in his first game at Tropicana Field. Hamilton is in his second major league season after overcoming injuries and addictions to cocaine and alcohol that kept him off the field from 2003-05.

When he was introduced, Hamilton received a standing ovation and a few boos.

Sidney Ponson (3-1) gave up five runs and 12 hits in five innings for Texas, which is 19-11 since April 25. Ian Kinsler had three RBIs, including a two-run homer.

Run-scoring singles by Carlos Pena in the first and B.J. Upton in the fourth put the Rays ahead 2-0, and Hinske homered in the fifth.

Tampa Bay had at least two hits in each of the first six innings, and went 6-for-14 with runners in the scoring position during the stretch. Dioner Navarro hit an RBI double in the sixth, and Upton had a sacrifice fly one inning later.

Kinsler had a sixth-inning sacrifice fly and added a two-run shot in the ninth against Gary Glover.

Notes: Rangers INF Hank Blalock (right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome) was to return to Texas for an examination Tuesday. He will miss the series with Tampa Bay. ... Pena had a ground-rule double in the third when his fly ball landed and stayed on an overhanging catwalk.

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