Rangers Move Closer To Playoffs

Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning as the Texas Rangers rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 Tuesday night.

The victory moved the Rangers within one game of Anaheim in the AL West. The Angels, who lost to Tampa Bay 8-1, travel to Texas for a two-game series that begins Wednesday.

Will Clark opened the Texas ninth with an infield single off Arthur Rhodes. Rodriguez then hit a 1-2 pitch from Armando Benitez deep into the left-field seats, his 19th homer of the season.

Benitez (5-5) had struck out his nine previous batters before facing Clark.

John Wetteland worked the ninth for his 40th save, becoming one of only four pitchers in major-league history to have three or more 40-save seasons. Tim Crabtree (5-1) got the final out in the eighth.

Juan Gonzalez picked up his 152nd RBI for Texas, the most in the majors since Tommy Davis had 152 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962. Clark returned from a two-day absence with a fractured toe to get three hits and an RBI.

Cal Ripken homered for the Orioles, whose six-game winning streak ended. Baltimore led 5-0 after three innings but could not hold on.

Baltimore starter Chris Fussell, starting in place of the injured Sidney Ponson, took a shutout into the sixth inning in his major-league debut. Fussell tired in the sixth and was charged with three runs on four hits.

Fussell, who spent the bulk of the year in Double-A ball, was lifted after giving up an RBI single to Rusty Greer in the Rangers' four-run sixth. Pete Smith yielded a run-scoring double tGonzalez before Rhodes yielded an RBI single to Clark. Gonzalez then scored on a double-play grounder.

Texas starter Esteban Loaiza, working on one day of rest after a 43-pitch start Sunday, allowed five runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the second. After three straight singles loaded the bases, Loaiza threw a wild pitch and Lenny Webster drove in a run with a groundout.

Ripken's 14th homer and a questionable call by first base umpire Derryl Cousins enabled Baltimore to go up 5-0 in the third.

After Brady Anderson doubled and scored on a single by Harold Baines, Rafael Palmeiro forced Baines at second and was ruled safe at first on the relay. The replay, however, showed the throw arrived first.

Texas manager Johnny Oates argued the call to no avail, and Ripken hit Loaiza's next pitch into the left-field seats.

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