Major League Baseball

Rangers hit 5 HR, beat White Sox

Published Aug. 23, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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Ian Kinsler raced around the bases for a bizarre inside-the-park homer and Adam Rosales had a conventional two-run shot, helping the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 11-5 on Friday night.

The AL West-leading Rangers (75-53) had five homers in all while winning for the 19th time in 23 games to move a season-high 22 games over .500. Jeff Baker and pinch hitter Mitch Moreland each had two-run shot, and Adrian Beltre belted a solo drive.

The White Sox were unable to overcome a shaky outing by ace Chris Sale, ending a season-high six-game winning streak. Sale (9-12) allowed eight runs and eight hits in seven innings.

A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios each had a nice night in their return to U.S. Cellular Field for the first time since leaving the White Sox. Pierzynski, who signed with Texas as a free agent in the offseason, went 1 for 4 with a sacrifice fly. Rios, who was traded to the Rangers on Aug. 9, had two hits and scored two runs.

Pierzynski received a standing ovation when he was introduced in the first inning.

But the biggest break went to Kinsler, who hit a line drive in the third that rolled into a drainage track under the left-field wall. By the time Dayan Viciedo was able to find the ball, Kinsler was on his way to the plate for his 11th homer and a 5-3 Rangers lead.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura came out to argue the play and was ejected.

Baker and Rosales connected in the second inning, powering Texas to a 4-0 lead. Rosales added a sacrifice fly in the fourth that made it 6-3.

Martin Perez (7-3) allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings for the rangers, who have won eight of their last nine road games to improve to 37-26 away from home. Perez also hurt himself with a wild pitch and a balk.

Viciedo had a two-run single in the second and eventually came around on Gordon Beckham's base hit, pulling the White Sox within one. But that was as close as it would get.

Beltre hit his 27th homer in the fifth and Kinsler singled in a run in the seventh to give the Rangers an 8-4 lead.

NOTES: It was the first time in Rangers history that they had a pinch-hit and inside-the-park home run in the same game. ... Chicago left eight runners on base, to only four for Texas. . Saturday is the seventh annual Civil Rights Game. Texas RHP Yu Darvish (12-5, 2.68 ERA) starts against Chicago LHP Hector Santiago (4-7, 3.27 ERA). . Attendance was 31,891.

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