ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Alfonso Soriano had three hits and a career-high five RBIs and the Texas Rangers ended Tampa Bay’s season-high six-game winning streak with a 13-5 victory over the Devil Rays on Thursday night.

Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer and Phil Nevin added a solo shot in a decisive three-run seventh inning for the Rangers.

Tampa Bay had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh on Toby Hall’s RBI double, and Devil Rays reliever Chad Orvella (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning.

But Nevin, who had three hits, tied it with his first homer since being acquired last week in a trade with the San Diego Padres. The next batter, Soriano, reached first when Orvella was charged with an error on a high throw to first after fielding a bunt. It was the fifth time Soriano reached base safely.

Blalock followed with his 21st homer to put the Rangers in front 7-5.

Michael Young, who had three hits, had a three-run blast in the eighth to make it 10-5. Soriano added a two-run double and Blalock, who had three hits, had an RBI single in the eighth.

All six runs in the eighth came off Dewon Brazelton, who walked five in the inning.

Kevin Gryboski (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in 2-3 of an inning for his first AL victory.

Orvella allowed three runs – one earned – and two hits in one inning.

Texas ended a seven-game home losing streak, its longest at Ameriquest Field. The club record for consecutive home defeats is nine in 1990 when the Rangers played at Arlington Stadium.

Aubrey Huff homered and Carl Crawford had three hits for the Devil Rays, who won the first two games of the three-game series.

Tampa Bay’s winning streak was its best since a 12-game run from June 9-22, 2004.

The Devil Rays took a 4-1 lead into the sixth behind starter Casey Fossum.

But Texas used a three-run sixth to draw even on Soriano’s two-run triple and Blalock’s RBI single, knocking out Fossum.

Fossum allowed four runs – three earned – and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Texas has only two victories from a starter in its last 18 games, both by Thursday’s starter Joaquin Benoit.

Benoit couldn’t make it three, however, allowing four runs and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings.

Huff led off the second with his 14th homer, hitting an 0-2 pitch into the upper deck in right. Tampa Bay made it 2-0 in the third on Jorge Cantu’s RBI single.

The Rangers cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth on Soriano’s RBI single.

The Devil Rays made it 3-1 in the fifth on Huff’s RBI single. Crawford’s run-scoring single in the sixth off Brian Shouse made it 4-1.

Notes: SS Julio Lugo was back in the Tampa Bay lineup after missing two games with a sore left knee. Lugo has started 105 of the Devil Rays’ 109 games. … Fossum twice used a blooper pitch to keep the free-swinging Rangers offbalance. Fossum threw a strike to Soriano in the second on a slo-pitch softball arc – he calls it the “Fossum Flip” – that was clocked at 45 mph. Two pitches later, Fossum hit Soriano with a fastball. Fossum started using the pitch as a changeup last month. … Fossum also tossed a “Flip” in the fifth to Rod Barajas, who singled.

AP-ES-08-04-05 2345EDT

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