Snyder, Rangers pound Orioles

BRANDON SNYDER homered and had a career-high six RBI against his former team, and the visiting Texas Rangers beat Baltimore, 14-3, Monday night to end the Orioles' five-game winning streak.

Snyder, the Orioles' top draft choice in 2005, hit a two-run single in the second inning, a three-run drive in the sixth and an RBI single during a seven-run ninth. He played in only 16 games with Baltimore before the Rangers got him for cash considerations in January.

"I'm probably going to have to wake up tomorrow and read something to make sure it happened," Snyder said. "It's a special night, being back in Baltimore, but the biggest thing is having my family there."

Texas lefthander Matt Harrison (4-2) gave up three runs, six hits and a walk in seven innings. He yielded 15 runs and 22 hits in his previous two appearances.

Michael Young homered and drove in three runs and Josh Hamilton hit his 10th home run for the Rangers, who got 19 hits in their sixth straight win over Baltimore. First-place Texas had lost five of its previous seven games.

The surprising Orioles entered with the best record in the majors after a 5-1 trip through Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, but on this night they were no match for the two-time defending AL champions. Starter Brian Matusz (1-4) yielded seven runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings, leaving Baltimore in a 7-0 hole in the sixth.

It was the most runs allowed by the Orioles since a 17-3 loss to the Yankees last July.

Robert Andino and Wilson Betemit homered for Baltimore, and J.J. Hardy had three hits, giving him eight over two games.

The Rangers went up, 2-0, in the second inning when Adrian Beltre walked, Nelson Cruz doubled and Snyder lined a two-out single to center. Before that hit, Snyder's only RBI with Texas came on his first major league homer in Toronto on Wednesday.

Young hit a sacrifice fly in the third for a 3-0 lead.

Baltimore got a runner on in three of the first four innings, but twice was victimized by doubleplays. The Orioles hit into six on Sunday at Boston.

At Minneapolis, Jered Weaver (5-0) allowed three hits over six innings in his first start since no-hitting the Twins last week to lead the Angels to an 8-3 victory over Minnesota. Weaver gave up one run with two walks and two strikeouts.

* At Cleveland, Zach McAllister pitched six innings for his first major league win as the Indians roughed up the Chicago White Sox, 8-6, in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. Shelley Duncan's RBI double in the eighth inning lifted the Indians, 3-2, in the nightcap.

* At Seattle, pinch-runner Munenori Kawasaki scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly in the ninth as the Mariners rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers, 3-2.

* At Kansas City, Will Middlebrooks homered down each of the lines, David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia also went deep, and the Boston Red Sox pounded the Royals, 11-5, to snap a five-game losing streak.

Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka had a strong outing Monday night for Triple A Pawtucket as he continued his march back to the majors from Tommy John surgery, though he says he's still having rough days with his surgically repaired right elbow. Matsuzaka, who had surgery June 10, pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in the third of his five scheduled rehabilitation starts.