Major League Baseball

Orioles hold on to hand Rangers fifth straight loss

Published Apr. 15, 2009 5:36 a.m. ET

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Adam Jones rewarded Baltimore's weary bullpen for its solid work. Jones hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the 10th inning and the Orioles held on to hand the Texas Rangers their fifth straight loss, 7-5 on Tuesday night.

With the score tied at 3, Brian Roberts singled with one out in the 10th off Eddie Guardado (0-1). Jones, who had three RBIs, followed with his first homer of the season into the Baltimore bullpen in left-center.

Jones was looking for a fastball, but thought Guardado might throw him a split-finger pitch. Jones was delighted when Guardado went with the fastball.

"He has a good split and I was just trying to get something to hit," Jones said.

Luke Scott added a two-run double in the four-run 10th as the Orioles batted around to make it 7-3.

Jim Johnson (1-0) threw two innings of one-hit relief, joining four other Baltimore relievers in allowing just two runs over the final 8 2-3 innings.

"We asked an awful lot of those guys in the bullpen tonight," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "Guys coming back on short rest, guys having to throw more pitches, more innings than they've thrown. I dare say we got the most out of everybody out there. Like I've been saying, in the early part of the season, what it comes down to is you got to make pitches and you got to make plays. We made pitches and we made plays when it counted."

Guardado, whose ERA is 15.00 in four appearances, allowed four runs and four hits while getting just two outs.

"Terrible," Guardado said. "Obviously I've got to do a better job. The way things are going right now, I've got to bear down and do my job and I didn't do it at all. I got some pitches up and I paid for it."

Texas rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 10th against George Sherrill on Ian Kinsler's run-scoring single and Josh Hamilton's RBI groundout to make it 7-5.

But Sherrill got Nelson Cruz to fly out with runners on first and third to end it.

"I hit it a little in front," Cruz said. "It's frustrating. We've got to find a way to win."

Aubrey Huff and Scott had solo homers for Baltimore, which has won four of five.

Michael Young, Cruz and Chris Davis hit solo homers for the Rangers. Texas has gone deep at least once in each of its first eight games for the first time in club history.

Rangers starter Brandon McCarthy allowed three runs and five hits over six innings, giving the pitching staff a lift after the Rangers had given up 35 runs in their previous four games.

C.J. Wilson came on in relief of McCarthy in his first appearance since giving up six runs in the eighth inning Sunday while the Detroit Tigers were rallying for a 6-4 victory. Wilson was a lot sharper, shutting out the Orioles in 1 2-3 innings. Closer Frank Francisco added 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief for Texas.

Orioles rookie starter Alfredo Simon left the game in the second inning with a right elbow problem after giving up homers to Young, Cruz and Davis.

Simon, making his third career start and second this season, went to a 1-1 count on Jarrod Saltalamacchia with one out in the second before Trembley and a team trainer hustled to the mound to check on the right-hander.

Simon, who gave up five homers over 6 1-3 innings in his first two outings this season, was replaced by right-hander Dennis Sarfate, who pitched 3 1-3 innings of one-hit relief.

Notes

Simon is set to fly to Baltimore on Wednesday to have his elbow evaluated. ... Rangers manager Ron Washington said he'll stay with a five-man rotation despite an off-day on Thursday, meaning No. 5 starter Matt Harrison will make his second start of the season Friday night at home against Kansas City. ... Baltimore 3B Melvin Mora missed his second straight game with a strained hamstring and is expected to be placed on the 15-day DL. The hamstring has been an issue since spring training and was aggravated while running out a groundball Sunday. ... The Rangers are scheduled for an afternoon home game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 20 and the Dallas Cowboys will open their new stadium against the New York Giants that night, creating the potential for massive traffic problems because the teams share parking facilities. Rangers vice president John Blake said the Rangers would probably reschedule their game, most likely as part of a day-night doubleheader on Sept. 19. ... Sarfate and Huff collided near the Rangers dugout while Huff was making a running catch of a popup for the final out of the third inning. Sarfate was down for a few seconds but was OK. ...It was the first extra-inning game for both teams this season.