ARLINGTON, Texas _ Jonathan Villar isn't done just yet.
Having entered Monday night in a 6 for 56 slump, the Milwaukee Brewers' proved he can still be a catalyst as he homered twice and drove in five runs to lead the Brewers past the Texas Rangers, 8-3, at Globe Life Park.
With five games remaining, Villar now has an opportunity to reach some rarified air. He needs two more homers and one stolen base to reach 20 and 60 for the season, a power-speed double-double rarely seen in the major leagues in recent years.
Villar went 3 for 5 _ his first multi-hit game since Sept. 7 _ as the Brewers rapped out 10 in the game.
Milwaukee strung four hits together in the third inning to open a 3-0 lead against Texas left-hander Martin Perez and remained in front the rest of the way.
Martin Maldonado doubled to lead off, then Michael Reed and Yadiel Rivera followed with singles to make it 1-0. After Villar bunted the runners into scoring position, Domingo Santana singled to center to drive in both and make it 3-0.
The Rangers got two of those runs back in the bottom of the third against Matt Garza, on RBI singles by Carlos Gomez and Ian Desmond. A Reed error in center on Desmond's single also left runners on second and third with nobody out, but Garza got out of the jam with a groundout, popout and strikeout.
Villar's first homer, a two-out, two-run shot to left, gave the Brewers some more breathing room in the fifth.
Consecutive doubles by Elvis Andrus and Gomez to open the bottom half cut Milwaukee's lead to 5-3, but again Garza was able to limit the damage by retiring the next three batters.
Garza (6-8) was lifted after six innings, having allowed six hits, three runs (earned) and a walk while striking out three in a 93-pitch outing.
Villar struck again in the seventh. After Maldonado singled off Perez and Rivera drew a one-out walk, Villar squeaked his second homer of the night just over the wall in straightaway center to open Milwaukee's advantage to 8-3.
Former Brewers Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy combined for four hits and Jeremy Jeffress pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
