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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas Rangers veterans Rick Helling and
Kenny Rogers gave their rookie counterparts on the Baltimore
Orioles a clinic on the fine art of pitching Tuesday night.
Rogers pitched seven strong innings for his first win in seven
starts as the Rangers completed a doubleheader sweep of the Orioles
with a 6-5 victory.
|  | | Rick Helling won for the first time in six starts since beating Boston on Aug. 12. |
Helling threw three-hit ball for eight innings in the 9-1
opening-game victory.
Rogers and Helling combined to walk only one in 15 innings.
Meanwhile, Orioles rookie starters John Parrish and Jay Spurgeon
walked eight over 5 2/3 innings.
"In both games, we scored early and the veterans did what they
are supposed to do, which is throw strikes," Rangers manager
Johnny Oates said. "The pitchers did their jobs."
Rogers (12-13) allowed three runs and seven hits in his first
win since Aug. 8, helping the Rangers sweep their only doubleheader
of the season. Rogers struck out six and walked one before allowing
hits to the first two batters in the eighth.
"It was nice to hold on to a lead," said Rogers, who lost his
last four decisions. "I really wanted to make sure I didn't do
what I did in Chicago last week (when he took a 5-1 lead into the
sixth and got a no-decision)."
John Wetteland earned his 33rd save, despite allowing a two-run
double to Greg Myers in the ninth inning.
Texas also took both ends of its last doubleheader on Sept. 6,
1999, over the Chicago White Sox. The Rangers have won seven of
their last 10.
"Maybe with the weather cooling off, we're getting our second
wind," Oates said. "We hope we can finish strong."
Baltimore was last swept on June 8, 1999, by the Florida
Marlins.
Helling (15-11) gave up Brady Anderson's homer leading off the
game and just two singles after that, winning for the first time in
six starts since beating Boston on Aug. 12.
Helling struck out five and walked none. In his previous five
starts, he had a 9.12 ERA.
Neither Parrish nor Spurgeon was able to get past the fifth
inning.
Meanwhile, the Rangers' veteran starters shut down the Orioles
lineups, dominated by young players.
"They've got a young team out there," said Rangers second
baseman Luis Alicea, 3-for-7 with a homer in the doubleheader.
"That makes it easier for veteran pitchers."
Anderson went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader with a homer and two
doubles.
Spurgeon (1-1) was hurt by five walks and two homers, lasting
four innings plus three batters in the fifth. Spurgeon allowed six
runs and four hits and struck out one.
In the second game, Texas grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first inning
on Ricky Ledee's RBI single and rookie Pedro Valdes' three-run
homer, the first of his career.
"He (Spurgeon) got two outs, then he walked the next two
hitters," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "Then he walked
right into Valdes' wheelhouse. (But) he wasn't wild out there, he
didn't leave any balls mid-plate. There were positive things to his
outing."
Baltimore closed to 4-2 on Delino DeShields' two-run single in
the third. Ledee's RBI single in the bottom half and Alicea's
leadoff homer in the fifth extended Texas' lead to 6-2.
DeShields' sacrifice fly in the eighth narrowed the deficit to
6-3.
In the opener, Scarborough Green had the first three-hit game of
his career, and Bill Haselman went 3-for-4 with a homer and two
doubles.
Parrish (2-4) was tagged for five runs and six hits in 1 2/3
innings. He has a 22.22 ERA in his last three starts.
Anderson hit Helling's second pitch into the right-field seats
for his 17th homer. Helling didn't give up another hit until Greg
Myers led off the seventh with a single. Anderson added a two-out
single in the eighth.
Game notes
Haselman will have surgery Monday to repair a partial tear
of his right rotator cuff. Haselman has had the problem for several
years, and team doctors decided to have the surgery in order for him
to be ready for spring training. Haselman will continue to play
through the weekend. ... The Orioles split their first three
doubleheaders this season. ... Anderson has led off games with home
runs 42 times. ... Parrish was making his first start since being
recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Sept. 5. He had the shortest
outing of his eight big league starts. ... Orioles DH Jeff Conine
left in the fourth inning of the first game after mildly spraining
his left ankle while running out a popup in the first. ... Ruben
Sierra, called up from Triple-A Oklahoma on Sept. 5, went 0-for-5
in his first home start for the Rangers since Aug. 29, 1992.
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Baltimore Clubhouse
Texas Clubhouse
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RECAPS
Texas 9
Baltimore 1
Texas 6
Baltimore 5
(2nd game)
Boston 8
Cleveland 6
NY Yankees 10
Toronto 2
Detroit 10
Chi. White Sox 3
Anaheim 5
Tampa Bay 2
Oakland 5
Minnesota 3
Seattle 11
Kansas City 3
Chicago Cubs 2
Cincinnati 1
Montreal 1
Philadelphia 0
St. Louis 11
Pittsburgh 1
NY Mets 10
Milwaukee 2
Florida 5
Atlanta 4
San Francisco 9
Houston 5
Arizona 5
Los Angeles 4
Colorado 6
San Diego 3
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