Major League Baseball

Swisher's first RBIs of season help Indians top Rangers 8-3

Published May. 15, 2015 11:38 p.m. ET

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Nick Swisher's hits have come in bundles this season. Now he can say the same thing about his RBIs.

Swisher had three hits and drove in his first three runs of the season, and the Cleveland Indians spoiled Adrian Beltre's 400th career home run with an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

The switch-hitting Swisher missed the first month of the season recovering from knee surgery last August. Now seven of his nine hits have come in just two of his nine games since staying in Arizona for extended spring training and spending time with Triple-A Columbus.

''I had everything together, and I was feeling good. And all of a sudden I come here and I feel like I have to create stuff, like I have to do something,'' said Swisher, who was 4 for 4 in a loss to Minnesota last weekend. ''Tonight was just me being me, not feeling like I've got to hit a home run to get the crowd off their feet.''

Swisher had one of two run-scoring doubles in the first inning and a tiebreaking two-run single in the fifth off Wandy Rodriguez (1-2).

Michael Brantley had the other first-inning double while reaching base all five times with three hits, driving in two runs and scoring twice. Leadoff man Jason Kipnis singled four times and scored three runs.

Ryan Webb (1-0) and four other Cleveland relievers combined for 6 2-3 shutout innings.

''They were really good,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. ''Everybody came in and did exactly what they were supposed to do.''

Shin-Soo Choo went 0 for 5 to snap a 14-game hitting streak that was the longest in the AL this season.

Cleveland left fielder Ryan Raburn took away a hit from Choo with a running catch as he slammed into a stop sign on an advertisement on the padded wall with two on and nobody out in the second.

Raburn came out of the game three innings later with a bruised left knee, a move the Indians said was precautionary.

Fielder erased a 2-0 deficit in the first by pulling a pitch from Bruce Chen into the seats above the Texas bullpen in right field. Then Beltre hit one onto the berm in center field, breaking a three-way tie with Andres Galarraga and Al Kaline at 399 homers and becoming the 52nd player to reach 400.

The Rangers quickly unfurled a congratulatory banner from an office balcony above center field, and Beltre went to the top step of the dugout to acknowledge a standing ovation.

''I don't like those situations but it was nice from the fans,'' said Beltre, in his 18th season and fourth among active players behind Alex Rodriguez (663), Albert Pujols (525) and David Ortiz (470). ''The banner was nice too, but would have felt a lot better if we won the game today.''

A matchup of 30-something left-handers didn't last long, with the 37-year-old Chen getting pulled from his 400th career appearance and 227th start after Beltre's one-out double in the third inning. It was his second rough start since Cleveland called him up from Columbus.

The 36-year-old Rodriguez, another in-season addition who recently set a Rangers record by retiring 34 consecutive batters over two starts, allowed eight hits and five runs in 4 2-3 innings.

HIT PARADE

Rodriguez came out after hitting Brandon Moss, the batter after Swisher's go-ahead single. The teams combined to hit five batters, with Fielder and Beltre among them.

WHAT A RELIEF

Webb escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third after third baseman Zach Walters' second error and the first of two hit batters by Webb. The Cleveland bullpen mostly avoided trouble after that, with Webb, Zach McAllister, Scott Atchison, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Indians: C Yan Gomes (right knee sprain) was set to catch three innings Friday night for Class A Lake Country instead of being the designated hitter so he could pair up with LHP TJ House, who was to throw three innings while recovering from shoulder inflammation.

Rangers: CF Leonys Martin was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game with a left wrist that he first injured last week against Houston and aggravated Monday against Kansas City.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar (4-1) has 48 strikeouts through five starts, most for a Cleveland pitcher since Sam McDowell had 49 through five starts in 1968.

Rangers: Colby Lewis (3-2) has a 2.21 ERA in three starts at home, with opponents batting .169 with 18 strikeouts and just four walks.

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