The Cleveland Indians are not making things easy for themselves. After blowing a 3-0 lead in the 7th inning, the Tribe rallied for four runs in the ninth inning, then held on to beat the Texas Rangers 7-5 in Arlington. In what was reported as the hottest game in Rangers history - it was 106 degrees at first pitch - the scoring didn't get started until the later innings as Fausto Carmona and C.J. Wilson locked up in a classic pitchers duel.
Wilson ended up allowing three runs - two earned - on six hits in 6 1/3 innings while Carmona also wore down in the 7th inning and allowed four runs - two earned - in 6 1/3 innings.
The Indians trailed 4-3 entering the ninth, but Kosuke Fukudome led off with a double and scored on Lonnie Chisenhall's single. With two down, Brantley worked the count full before belting the ninth pitch of the at bat into right. Jason Kipnis followed with a two-run homer.
The Rangers, who opened the three-game series with an 11th-inning walk-off win on Friday, grabbed the lead with a four-run seventh. Ian Kinsler slapped a two-run single and Hamilton capped the inning with a go-ahead sac fly. Neftali Feliz (1-3) allowed three runs in the ninth to suffer the loss. Elvis Andrus pushed one across in the bottom of the ninth and the Rangers placed runners at second and third later in the frame, but Chris Perez induced Michael Young into a game-ending groundout to earn his 23rd save of the season. Frank Herrmann (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win.