CHICAGO _ The Texas Rangers beat up on an old friend and then held on as the bullpen closed out a strong start from Cole Hamels Saturday afternoon.
The Rangers tagged former teammate Derek Holland for five runs to beat the Chicago White Sox, 10-4, and even the series at Guaranteed Rate Field heading into Sunday's series finale.
It was Holland's first start against the Rangers, the team that drafted him in 2006 and where he was a fixture the past eight seasons. Holland was staked to a quick lead after Jose Abreu's two-run homer in the first against Hamels. After hitting the next batter, Todd Frazier, with a pitch, however, Hamels got on a roll. And he kept rolling. And rolling.
Hamels (3-0) retired the next 19 batters, tying Austin Bibens-Dirkx's team high this season and left after striking out Matt Davidson for the second out in the seventh. Alex Claudio took over and walked the first two batters he faced. Kevin Smith followed with a two-run double to right to pull Chicago to within 6-4. Hamels' 62/3 innings is his longest outing since April 26 when he went 62/3 in his last start before going on the disabled list for nearly two months with a right oblique strain.
"It's' what we needed. We needed for somebody to go out and put their foot down and give us a good start," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
Claudio regrouped to throw a scoreless eighth and ninth to close it out.
Rougned Odor was on base four times, including his first-career homer on an 0-2 pitch that started a four-run eighth. Later in the inning, Nomar Mazara's bases-loaded drive to left skipped past Melky Cabrera and turned a single into a bases-clearing triple and a 10-4 Rangers lead.
Holland (5-8) was charged with five runs on five hits and two walks and struck out six in 51/3 innings.
"I think they knew what was coming. I've been with them for pretty much 10 years," Holland said. "I know they were ready for me to come inside. It was just one of those things. You gotta battle with those guys. They know you, you know them. I just didn't come out on top."
