Kinsler reaches 30-30 mark, Rangers down Rays 8-3

Kinsler, Rangers beat Rays 8-3

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ian Kinsler homered to become a 30-30 player for the first time, Julio Borbon had three hits and the Texas Rangers clung to their slim playoff hopes, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Friday night.

Kinsler is the third second baseman in major league history with 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season. Alfonso Soriano, who has done it three times, and Brandon Phillips are the others.

His 30th homer was a three-run shot in the eighth that put Texas up 8-3. Kinsler stole his 30th base Thursday.

The Rangers, who have nine games remaining, trail Los Angeles by 6½ games in the AL West. The Angels, whose magic number is four, hosted Oakland on Friday night.

Texas moved within seven games of Boston, which lost 9-5 to the New York Yankees on Friday, in the wild card.

Gabe Kapler homered for Tampa Bay, which had won six of 10 since losing 11 straight earlier this month.

Rangers rookie Derek Holland (8-12) gave up three runs over five innings to snap a five-game losing streak.

Tampa Bay starter James Shields (10-12) allowed five runs and seven hits in seven innings. The right-hander struck out seven.

Texas slugger Josh Hamilton was back in the lineup after missing 19 games because of a pinched nerve in his back. He was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and had an RBI on a fielder’s choice.

Borbon and Elvis Andrus led off the bottom of the first with singles. Marlon Byrd lined a two-run double to put the Rangers ahead 2-0.

Chris Davis drove his 20th home run into the upper deck in right off Shields, who has yielded 28 long balls this season.

The Rays scored three runs to tie the game in third.

Kapler led off with a home run, and Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist had two-out RBI singles. Holland got out of further trouble when he struck out Pat Burrell to end the third.

Holland, who had a 12.38 ERA during his five-game slide, got some help from his bullpen as four relievers allowed one hit in four shutout innings.

The Rangers took the lead for good in the fourth when Kinsler scored on Ivan Rodriguez’s double-play grounder.

Texas added a run in the fifth when Borbon singled, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice. Hamilton hit a chopper to first that the speedy Borbon scored on, beating a throw home from first baseman Willy Aybar.

Kinsler’s three-run blast was his first home run in 20 games.

NOTES: Rays manager Joe Maddon said LHP J.P. Howell has been shut down for the rest of the season. “The last few years, he’s thrown more relief innings than any pitcher in baseball and there’s nothing positive to be derived from having him pitch for the last 10 games, so we decided to shut him down,” Maddon said. … Holland’s last victory before Friday was Aug. 20 against Minnesota. … Texas improved to 47-32 at home.