CASPER
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ARLINGTON, Texas – The Texas Rangers are 3-0 for the first time since 1996.
Marlon Byrd and Ian Kinsler hit long home runs and the Rangers completed their season-opening series sweep, outslugging the Cleveland Indians 12-8 Thursday.
Byrd's homer was a three-run shot that capped a five-run first off Carl Pavano (0-1), making his first start for Cleveland after being a free-agent bust with the Yankees the past four seasons. Byrd matched a career high with five RBIs.
Texas won its first seven games and went on to win its first AL West title in 1996.
Cleveland hit five home runs, including two by Grady Sizemore, but couldn't rally from an early 9-1 deficit. The Indians last were 0-3 in 1996, though they did come back to win 99 games and the AL Central that season.
Sizemore hit a pair of two-run homers for Cleveland while Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner and Kelly Shoppach, who is from nearby Fort Worth, added solo shots.
Brandon McCarthy (1-0) struck out seven in his five innings, striking out the side twice though he didn't have a 1-2-3 inning. He walked four and left with an 11-3 lead after throwing 105 pitches.
Pavano retired only three of the 12 batters he faced pitching into the second while giving up nine earned runs. Only once had Pavano recorded fewer outs in his 175 previous career starts, for Florida in June 2003 when the right-hander gave up six runs without getting an out against Boston.
Kinsler, who had three hits and drove in three runs, led off with a single and Michael Young doubled. Josh Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly, Andruw Jones had an RBI single in his first Texas at-bat, Nelson Cruz walked and Byrd hit a 418-foot shot to the hill in center.
Pavano walked No. 9 hitter Omar Vizquel to start the second before Kinsler's 415-foot homer to left. Young singled and Hamilton walked to chase the Indians' No. 3 starter. The Rangers led 9-1 after Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly and Byrd had an RBI fielder's choice off Zach Jackson.
After winning 18 games for the Marlins in 2004, Pavano signed a $40 million, four-year deal with the Yankees. His first season in the Bronx was cut short by shoulder tendinitis and he missed spring training in 2006 with a bad back before elbow surgery. He had reconstructive elbow surgery in '07. He was released after making seven starts at the end of last season.
Pavano got a $1.5 million, one-year deal from the Indians in January, and the 33-year-old said he felt reborn.
Jones, a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove center fielder for Atlanta, was a bust of his own with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit .158 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 75 games in an injury-plagued season on the West Coast after signing a $36.2 million contract.
Jones went 3-for-5 with a double and scored twice in his first appearance for Texas since he made the team during spring training as a fifth outfielder and part-time DH. After Los Angeles released him, Jones signed a minor league deal with the Rangers.
Notes
There was a moment of silence before the game for Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, who was killed in a car crash early Thursday. ... Sizemore had his seventh career multihomer game. He struck out his other three at-bats. ... Rangers C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who left Wednesday night's game experiencing dizziness because of inner ear inflammation, said he felt better but was still had some symptoms. He hoped to be ready to play Friday. ... The Indians will show a video tribute for former pitcher and broadcaster Herb Score during pregame ceremonies before their home opener Friday. Score died in November. Score's widow, Nancy, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... With Thursday's game and three noon games in Detroit this weekend, the Rangers are scheduled to play four consecutive day games for the first time since April 1998
Marlon Byrd and Ian Kinsler hit long home runs and the Rangers completed their season-opening series sweep, outslugging the Cleveland Indians 12-8 Thursday.
Byrd's homer was a three-run shot that capped a five-run first off Carl Pavano (0-1), making his first start for Cleveland after being a free-agent bust with the Yankees the past four seasons. Byrd matched a career high with five RBIs.
Texas won its first seven games and went on to win its first AL West title in 1996.
Cleveland hit five home runs, including two by Grady Sizemore, but couldn't rally from an early 9-1 deficit. The Indians last were 0-3 in 1996, though they did come back to win 99 games and the AL Central that season.
Sizemore hit a pair of two-run homers for Cleveland while Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner and Kelly Shoppach, who is from nearby Fort Worth, added solo shots.
Brandon McCarthy (1-0) struck out seven in his five innings, striking out the side twice though he didn't have a 1-2-3 inning. He walked four and left with an 11-3 lead after throwing 105 pitches.
Pavano retired only three of the 12 batters he faced pitching into the second while giving up nine earned runs. Only once had Pavano recorded fewer outs in his 175 previous career starts, for Florida in June 2003 when the right-hander gave up six runs without getting an out against Boston.
Kinsler, who had three hits and drove in three runs, led off with a single and Michael Young doubled. Josh Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly, Andruw Jones had an RBI single in his first Texas at-bat, Nelson Cruz walked and Byrd hit a 418-foot shot to the hill in center.
Pavano walked No. 9 hitter Omar Vizquel to start the second before Kinsler's 415-foot homer to left. Young singled and Hamilton walked to chase the Indians' No. 3 starter. The Rangers led 9-1 after Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly and Byrd had an RBI fielder's choice off Zach Jackson.
After winning 18 games for the Marlins in 2004, Pavano signed a $40 million, four-year deal with the Yankees. His first season in the Bronx was cut short by shoulder tendinitis and he missed spring training in 2006 with a bad back before elbow surgery. He had reconstructive elbow surgery in '07. He was released after making seven starts at the end of last season.
Pavano got a $1.5 million, one-year deal from the Indians in January, and the 33-year-old said he felt reborn.
Jones, a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove center fielder for Atlanta, was a bust of his own with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit .158 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 75 games in an injury-plagued season on the West Coast after signing a $36.2 million contract.
Jones went 3-for-5 with a double and scored twice in his first appearance for Texas since he made the team during spring training as a fifth outfielder and part-time DH. After Los Angeles released him, Jones signed a minor league deal with the Rangers.
Notes
There was a moment of silence before the game for Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, who was killed in a car crash early Thursday. ... Sizemore had his seventh career multihomer game. He struck out his other three at-bats. ... Rangers C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who left Wednesday night's game experiencing dizziness because of inner ear inflammation, said he felt better but was still had some symptoms. He hoped to be ready to play Friday. ... The Indians will show a video tribute for former pitcher and broadcaster Herb Score during pregame ceremonies before their home opener Friday. Score died in November. Score's widow, Nancy, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... With Thursday's game and three noon games in Detroit this weekend, the Rangers are scheduled to play four consecutive day games for the first time since April 1998
