Rangers recap: Hamels struts stuff as Texas takes opener against Orioles

The Rangers received their best outing yet from Cole Hamels as the left-hander held the Orioles to one run on two hits over eight innings as Texas won the opener 4-1 Friday night at Globe Life Park.

Pitching: The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the third when Hamels surrendered a double and then walked three, including one that drove in a run. He forced a groundout with the bases loaded to end the inning. Hamels retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced after going eight innings, his longest outing in five starts with the Rangers. He struck out 10 and improved to 8-8 with the win. Shawn Tolleson pitched the ninth and earned his 27th save.

Hitting: Shin-Soo Choo tied it at 1-1 with a solo homer to start the fourth. In the fifth, Chris Gimenez’s one-out homer to center gave Texas a 2-1 lead. Later in the inning, Hanser Alberto and Delino DeShields singled before Alberto scored on Choo’s groundout to make it 3-1. In the seventh, Will Venable led off with a walk and scored on DeShields’ two-out triple to left-center.

Notable: Choo has now reached base safely in all 32 games since the All-Star break ... Hamels’ 10 strikeouts tied Yovani Gallardo for the most in a game by a Rangers pitcher this season ... DeShields’ eighth triple is the most by a Rangers rookie since Elvis Andrus had eight in 2009.

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 9:41 PM with the headline "Rangers recap: Hamels struts stuff as Texas takes opener against Orioles."