Chavez, who spent nearly two years recovering from knee surgery, had four hits to help Texas overcome a three-run deficit to beat the Cleveland Indians 7-4 Thursday night.

Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus cannot get a handle on a pop up to short center by Cleveland Indians ‘ Jack Hannahan in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 2, 2011, in Cleveland. The Rangers won the game 7-4.

“I’m happy to be back,” said Chavez, whose ninth four-hit game tied a career high and gave him a .415 (17 of 41) average since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on May 14.

“He’s playing the way he did before he got hurt,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “He did so much rehabbing and is reaping the rewards.”

Yorvit Torrealba drove in two runs and Nelson Cruz twice doubled to start three-run rallies as the defending AL champions won for the fourth time in their last five road games.

Michael Kirkman (1-0) earned his first career win. The left-hander allowed one run over three innings in his 18th career relief outing. Neftali Feliz pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances.

“That was very exciting,” Kirkman said. “I think every kid dreams of winning in the big leagues. Hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”

Cleveland dropped to 19-7 at home and has lost three in a row at Progressive Field for the first time this year as Carlos Carrasco (4-3) couldn’t hold a 3-0 lead. The Indians went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, twice making three straight outs with two runners on base.

“We didn’t swing the bats particularly well,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “We didn’t pitch very well and we didn’t play very good defense either.”

The Rangers twice scored on errors and totaled 12 hits. Chavez, batting ninth, provided the offensive impetus with his speed. He had an RBI triple and scored in a three-run sixth that put Texas ahead 6-3. He also had a line single and stolen base in a three-run fifth, and added two infield hits, the last on a well-placed bunt.

The last time the speedy outfielder had four hits was on July 25, 2008, for the New York Mets. The next June, playing for Seattle, he tore a ligament in his right knee. He signed with Texas before the 2010 season, but was limited to just eight games in the minors.

Cleveland went ahead 3-0 in the second against Dave Bush . Travis Buck and Orlando Cabrera each had run-scoring singles and third run scored on an RBI groundout by Jack Hannahan .

Bush started in place of left-hander Matt Harrison , who has a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Held to one hit over four innings, the Rangers tied it at 3 in the fifth. Cruz doubled, moved up on one groundout and scored on another. Chavez then singled and after Ian Kinsler walked, Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton each lined two-out RBI singles.

With one out in the sixth, Cruz doubled to left. He went to third on a single by Mitch Moreland and scored on a sacrifice fly by Torrealba to put the Rangers ahead 4-3. Chavez then tripled home Moreland. With Kinsler at-bat, Carrasco threw a pitch past Carlos Santana , who recovered in time to freeze Chavez coming down the line. Santana’s throw to Carrasco covering the plate was wild and had to be tracked down by third baseman Hannahan. His throw back home was too late to get the speedy Chavez, who slid in ahead of the tag by Carrasco.

Matt LaPorta opened the Indians’ seventh with his eighth homer, a 422-foot shot into the bushes past the center field wall.

Mariners 8 Rays 2: In Seattle, rookie Carlos Peguero hit two of Seattle’s season-high four home runs and Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez cruised through seven innings to get the win.

Peguero hit a three-run homer in a five-run second inning, and had a solo shot in the fourth. Justin Smoak and Jack Cust also homered off James Shields (5-4), who allowed a season-high seven earned runs.

Hernandez (6-4) struck out 11 batters — his third time this season with 10 or more — and gave up five hits.

Twins 8 Royals 2: In Kansas City, Missouri, Michael Cuddyer drove in two runs and Anthony Swarzak pitched six effective innings as Minnesota beat Kansas City to end a four-game losing streak.

Minnesota, 3-10 in its last 13 games, sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run third inning.

Denard Span , Matt Tolbert and Rene Rivera had RBI singles and Cuddyer hit a run-scoring double. Justin Morneau scored on a throwing error by Mike Aviles , and Rivera scored on a wild pitch. Swarzak (1-2) limited the Royals to seven hits and two runs. Sean O’Sullivan (2-5) was the loser.