receiving. He needs 107 yards to pass Lance Allworth’s 90-game re

Adrian Beltre has helped the Texas Rangers win a lot of games over the years. On Saturday Devin Bush Jersey , he found a surprising way to spark his team to its seventh straight victory.

Beltre and Robinson Chirinos homered to help Yovani Gallardo win for the first time since last July as the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 9-6 on Saturday.

The home run wasn’t anything unusual — he’s got 466 of those his 21-year major league career. But he led off the second inning by beating out a ground ball to shortstop, no easy feat for a 39-year-old who has spent almost a month on the disabled list this year with a strained left hamstring.

The infield single led to a six-run rally to help the Rangers overcome an early 2-0 deficit.

”Speed kills – don’t you know that?” a grinning Beltre said. ”Over the last week or so, we’ve been able to find out how to get guys on, and now we’re getting more consistent in bringing those guys in.”

Eddie Rosario homered and drove in four runs for the Twins, while Logan Morrison also homered and Mitch Garver had three hits. Minnesota lost its third straight when it couldn’t overcome a short start from veteran Jake Odorizzi (3-5).

The Twins did rally for three runs in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate with two outs. But Rangers closer Keone Kela struck out Morrison with the bases loaded to end the game, earning his 18th save in 18 chances.

Gallardo (1-0) was making his second start for Texas after opening the year with Cincinnati. He promptly fell behind 2-0 just five pitches into the game before turning it around and pitching into the sixth inning.

Joe Mauer led off the bottom of the first with a sharp single to left. Then Rosario hit the first pitch he saw into the right-field seats for his 17th home run of the season.

But Gallardo settled down, at one point retiring 12 of 13. Morrison’s two-run homer with one out in the sixth inning ended Gallardo’s day, but he earned his first victory since July 29, 2017, when he was pitching for Seattle.

Odorizzi retired the side in order in the first inning, but the Rangers knocked him out in a six-run second. The big blows were two-run singles by Delino DeShields and Nomar Mazara.

Beltre’s second hit of the inning finally spelled the end for Odorizzi, who lasted just 1 2/3 innings. It was the shortest start of his career, other than a one-inning start in 2017 that he was forced to leave due to an injury.

”It just started to unravel,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. ”A couple guys got on, then he slipped on the mound www.steelersfootballauthentics.com/diont...son-jersey-authentic , then he hit a guy, and even later in the inning after he’d given up some, we still had chances. He got ahead of Mazara 0-2, Beltre he got ahead of, but we just couldn’t finish.”

Odorizzi, the Twins’ opening day starter, has seen his ERA climb steadily in his last six outings. He’s allowed 25 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings over that stretch, driving his ERA to a season-high 4.97.

”It’s upsetting and frustrating . It’s not something I take lightly.” Odorizzi said. ”I take a lot of pride in getting guys out. Trust me, I’m more frustrated about this than anybody in this clubhouse. This has been one of the tougher stretches in my short big league career.”

HIT BATTER BEEF

Rangers 3B Jurickson Profar was hit by pitches three times on Saturday, tying a team record that he also matched just two weeks ago. But the Rangers were not happy with the circumstances surrounding the third time it happened.

Profar stole second base in the fourth inning when the Rangers were leading 9-2. The next time Profar came to bat, Twins reliever Addison Reed threw three inside fastballs, finally hitting him in the leg with the third one.

”I thought the intent there was excessive, especially they tried to dial him up three different times,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ”The guy’s playing baseball hard. I guess you can just look at it that there’s a difference in what they’re focusing in on and what we’re focusing in on.”

Molitor didn’t try to rationalize Reed’s approach to Profar, but he also didn’t deny that the dugout took notice when Profar stole a base with a seven-run lead.

”The thought process between the unwritten rules of the game is not clearly defined Justin Layne Jersey ,” Molitor said. ”What I might think and what he might think might be different things. I was surprised that (Profar) ran with the score the way it was, when he did. And getting hit there was something that Banister felt wasn’t appropriate.”

ROMERO TO ROCHESTER

After the game the Twins optioned rookie RHP Fernando Romero to Triple-A Rochester, with a corresponding move to be announced on Sunday. Romero, who made his major league debut on May 2 and won his first two starts, is 3-3 with a 4.38 ERA in 10 starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: 1B Joey Gallo left the game in the third inning with left hamstring tightness. He was replaced by Ronald Guzman.

Twins: 3B Eduardo Escobar returned to the starting lineup for the first time since he was hit by a pitch on the right elbow in the first inning of Thursday’s game against Boston.

UP NEXT

Rangers: RHP Bartolo Colon (4-4, 4.91 ERA) returns to Target Field to face his former teammates in the series finale Sunday afternoon. Colon went 5-6 in 15 starts for the Twins last season as he helped them clinch the second AL wild card spot.

Twins: RHP Jose Berrios (7-5, 3.51) will be looking for his first victory since June 7 as Minnesota tries to avoid being swept. In his last two starts he’s allo ATLANTA (AP)Two-game winning streaks have given much-needed midseason boosts to Tampa Bay and Atlanta. Now it’s time to see which team is ready for the tough NFC South. The Falcons (6-4) have moved into playoff position with back-to-back wins over Dallas and Seattle. Atlanta plays five of its last six regular-season games against NFC South rivals, including Sunday’s visit from the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers (4-6) have won two straight over the Jets and Dolphins. Four of their last six games will be against NFC South opponents, including two against Atlanta. Tampa Bay faces a tough climb up the NFL’s only division with three teams with winning records. The two straight wins have come with Ryan Fitzpatrick subbing for injured quarterback Jameis Winston . Fitzpatrick, who will make his third straight start against Atlanta, says the wins have helped boost morale. ”It’s definitely changed a little bit, a little more upbeat, but it’s still businesslike attitude,” Fitzpatrick said. ”We know we’ve dug ourselves a big hole and we still have a long way to go.” Asked what Fitzpatrick has brought to the offense, Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter said ”Toughness. Smarts. Competitiveness. Desire to win. Calming influence. How’s that off the top of my head?” The Falcons have the same record through 10 games as they did in 2016 www.steelersfootballauthentics.com/benny...jr.-jersey-authentic , when they won the NFC championship before losing to New England in the Super Bowl. Last week’s 34-31 win at Seattle left Atlanta in position for a wild card, even though they still trail New Orleans (8-2) and Carolina (7-3) in the division. ”I knew it was going to be a battle,” said Falcons coach Dan Quinn of the division. ”That would be certainly the case this weekend. …We had real regard for the division before the season started. As you go through and look at the different matchups and how some of the teams play, that’s certainly the case.” While the Buccaneers’ surge has come without Winston, the Falcons have had starting running back Devonta Freeman for only two snaps of their two straight wins. Freeman left the 27-7 win over Dallas with a concussion after only two plays and was held out last week. Freeman was still in the concussion protocol for the start of practice this week and is expected to miss his second straight game, leaving Tevin Coleman as the starter. Here are some things to watch as the Buccaneers and Falcons renew their NFC South rivalry: RYANS EXPECTING TWINS: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and his wife, Sarah, are expecting twins. For Ryan, the news brings more significance to his jersey number 2. ”There is something about 2,” Ryan said, smiling. ”Before, I just liked it. Now I have something for it. It’s cool.” Ryan said the twins are due ”in a couple months. We’re just very happy, very excited.” REAL MCCOY: Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is tied with Arizona linebacker Chandler Jones for the NFL lead with 20 quarterback hits. McCoy is tied with Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett with 10 tackles for loss, tied for the most among defensive tackles. He leads the Bucs with 5.0 sacks. GOODBYE GEORGIA DOME: This will be the Falcons’ first home game since their old home, the Georgia Dome Zach Gentry Jersey , was imploded on Monday . Koetter, the former Falcons offensive coordinator, is eager to see the $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which was built beside the old facility. ”I’ve heard it’s awesome,” Koetter said. ”I am anxious to see it. I always thought the Georgia Dome was dark and had bad acoustics. I couldn’t hear a word anybody said in there.” 90-GAME MILESTONES WITHIN REACH: Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is on the brink of setting new NFL standards for catches and yards receiving in the first 90 games of a career. Jones has 551 catches. He needs eight receptions to pass Anquan Boldin’s record of 558. Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown is second with 554. Jones has 8,396 yards receiving. He needs 107 yards to pass Lance Allworth’s 90-game record of 8,502. WARD VS. WARD: Terron Ward moved up the depth chart with Freeman’s concussion. As Coleman’s top backup, there is a greater chance he’ll go against older brother T.J. Ward, Tampa Bay’s backup safety. The head-to-head competition is rare for the brothers. ”We never played against each other,” said Terron Ward of the brothers’ childhood, noting he is 5 years younger than his 30-year-old brother and the two would play together against cousins. ”We used to get out there at Thanksgiving and Christmas, two on two,” he said. ”… It would go back and forth so it’s always been fun.” —