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


ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Nick Swisher had three hits and his first three RBIs 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.
Jason Kipnis singled four times and Michael Brantley reached base in all five trips, with two doubles among his three hits. They combined to score five runs.
Ryan Webb (1-0) and four other Cleveland relievers combined for 6 2-3 shutout innings.
Swisher had a tiebreaking two-run single in the fifth off Wandy Rodriguez (1-2). He was playing his ninth game after missing a month recovering from knee surgery last August.
Beltre became the 52nd player with 400 homers by following Prince Fielder's fifth of the season with his fifth as well in the first inning.
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 him with a running catch as he slammed into a stop sign on an advertisement on the padded wall in the second.
Raburn came out of the game three innings later with a bruised left knee.
A matchup of 30-something left-handers didn't last long, with the 37-year-old Bruce 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 Triple-A 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.
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.
Texas reliever Kyuji Fujikawa threw behind Jose Ramirez, grazing his back three pitches after giving up a homer to Brett Hayes. Ramirez gestured in frustration, and plate umpire Joe West stepped in front of Cleveland's No. 9 hitter and led him down the first-base line after issuing a warning.
Fielder erased a 2-0 deficit in the first by pulling a pitch from 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.
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.
In his 18th season, Beltre is fourth among active players behind Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and David Ortiz.
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. Salazar has 33 innings, while McDowell had 36 1-3.
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.