BALTIMORE: Ian Kinsler capped a six-run sixth inning with a bases-loaded double as the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Monday in a rematch of last year’s American League wild-card playoff game.

The victory moved the Rangers 15 games over .500 (52-37) for the first time since May 25. It also improved their road record to 25-18, best in franchise history after 43 games.

Kinsler had four RBIs, including three in the sixth against former teammate Scott Feldman (0-1) when the Rangers turned a 3-2 deficit into an 8-3 lead.

Derek Holland (7-4) allowed five runs, three earned, and 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings for Texas. He struck out Matt Wieters and MLB home run leader Chris Davis three times apiece.

Rays 7 Twins 4: In St. Petersburg,Florida, Yunel Escobar and Ben Zobrist homered during a three-run seventh inning as the surging Rays beat the Twins.

Escobar had a leadoff tiebreaking homer in the seventh off Samuel Deduno (4-4), who departed after Desmond Jennings followed with a triple. Caleb Thielbar entered and got one out before Zobrist gave Tampa Bay a 6-3 lead with a two-run shot.

Alex Torres (3-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the Rays, who have won nine of 10 and moved to a season-best 10-games (50-40) over .500. Escobar also had a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Fernando Rodney got the final two outs to pick up his 20th save after an RBI single by Pedro Florimon off Jamey Wright.

Athletics 2 Pirates 1: In Pittsburgh, PA, Bartolo Colon got back in the win column with a seven-inning effort to give the Oakland Athletics a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game set. Colon (12-3) had an eight-start winning streak snapped last Wednesday in a loss to the Cubs, but rebounded nicely as he gave up just one run on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Josh Donaldson scored a run and drove in one while Derek Norris also had an RBI for the Athletics, who are 10-0 all-time against Pittsburgh. Jeff Locke (8-2) was looking to become the first Pirate lefty to win nine games in a row in 88 years, but fell short as he surrendered two runs on three hits over seven frames. Jose Tabata had two hits and drove in the only run for the Pirates, who have dropped three straight and five of seven