Teixeira blasts 3 HRs, 7 RBI in Rangers rout of Orioles

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Mark Teixeira has been insisting for months that his swing is no different from a year ago, when he hit 43 homers and drove in 144 runs.

Elias Says

Teixeira On Thursday night, Mark Teixeira became the first player to ever hit three-or-more home runs in his team's first game after the All-Star break. Teixeira's seven RBI were the most by a player in his team's first game after the break since Don Mattingly had seven in 1987. That came during Mattingly's streak of eight consecutive games with a home run, a major-league record he shares with Dale Long and Ken Griffey Jr. • For more Elias Says, click here

He backed up that assertion Thursday night against the Baltimore Orioles.

Teixeira hit a career-high three homers and drove in seven runs, and the Rangers hit six home runs in a 15-1 rout.

Teixeira had only nine homers and 49 RBI before the All-Star break, leading to speculation that he had lost his power stroke. He scoffed at the suggestion earlier this season, and hammered home the point after battering the Orioles.

"Same thing I've said all year: my swing has not changed one bit. I've looked at hours and hours of video," Teixeira said. "There's a fine line between a home run and a line drive. Tonight I just kind of found that home run stroke."

Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, a solo homer in the sixth, a two-run shot in the eighth and a three-run drive in the ninth. The seven RBI tied a career high.

He has 12 homers, including four in his last two games. It was his 12th career multihomer game, the first this season.

"I don't know if I'd call it a breakout performance, but it's nice to have a good game here in Baltimore," said Teixeira, who was born and raised in Maryland. "It's a big win for us. Coming off a break, we're tied for first place and we scored a lot of runs."

Texas totaled 19 hits and reached a season-high in home runs.

Brad Wilkerson hit his 14th homer and drove in four runs, and Rod Barajas also homered for the Rangers, who got at least one hit from every starter. Mark DeRosa went 4-for-4 with a home run and two walks.

But this game was all about Teixeira, who had only four homers on the road before Thursday.

"You feel really good for him. You know how much he wants it and he's been such a big contributor for us this year, defensively and with the bat," Texas manager Buck Showalter said. "But it's such a level that he's spoiled us last year, it's hard to stay there. Tonight was a big reminder of what he's capable of."

Vicente Padilla (9-5) gave up one run and four hits in seven innings to win his third straight start. The right-hander struck out three and walked three.

The game was tied at one before Texas got seven hits in a six-run sixth.

Teixeira hit a leadoff homer and Ian Kinsler drew a one-out walk before Kevin Mench hit a ground-rule double. Wilkerson then chased Daniel Cabrera (4-7) with a two-run double for a 4-1 lead.

Wilkerson was tagged out at the plate trying to score on Barajas' single off Chris Britton, but Gary Matthews Jr. followed with a single and DeRosa hit a three-run shot to left.

Wilkerson's two-run homer in the seventh off Sendy Rleal made it 9-1.

"Once we get going, it's hard to stop us," Wilkerson said.

Cabrera allowed four runs, six hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander is 0-5 in his last six starts and leads the AL with 75 walks in 85 2/3 innings.

"I try to make a pitch, and nothing was working," Cabrera said. "I know I've got to do something. It's been six starts. I don't know the last time I pitched good."

Texas went up 1-0 in the first when Cabrera hit Matthews with a pitch, walked DeRosa and yielded a sacrifice fly to Teixeira.

Baltimore tied it in the third when Nick Markakis doubled and scored on a single by Brandon Fahey.

Cabrera received some fine defensive support in the fifth. After Fahey made a nice running grab of a foul liner hit by Matthews, DeRosa singled before Brian Roberts snapped up a sharp grounder by Michael Young and started a 4-6-3 double play.

"We had ourselves a ball game for a little while," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said, "and then the wheels fell off."

Game notes
Baltimore's Ramon Hernandez hit his 20th double, one more than he had all last season with San Diego. He's tied with Miguel Tejada for the team lead. ... Young, the All-Star game MVP with a two-run triple in the ninth, went 1-for-5 and hit into two double plays. ... It was the 35th time this season the Orioles have allowed at least four runs in an inning, the most in the majors.