Blue Jays win 4th in row on HRs by Lind, Rasmus, top Rangers 6-1

ARLINGTON, Texas – Adam Lind and Colby Rasmus both hit two-run homers and the Toronto Blue Jays won their fourth game in a row, beating the sliding Texas Rangers 6-1 on Saturday.

Even with the unexpected early return of second baseman Ian Kinsler from his rehabilitation assignment, the Rangers’ season-long losing streak reached five games. All of those losses are at home, and they’ve dropped 10 of 14 overall to fall out of first place in the AL West.

Lind put the Blue Jays ahead to stay in the first, when his seventh homer of the season ricocheted high off pole down the right field line. Rasmus hit his 12th homer, and second in two games, in the fourth to make it 4-0.

Those homers accounted for all four runs off Josh Lindblom (0-2), who went six innings on his 26th birthday. The right-hander struck out two in his third start in place of injured Alexi Ogando.

R.A. Dickey (6-8) gave up one run in 5 2-3 innings, even though he allowed 10 base runners (seven hits and three walks) in that span. The knuckleballer, a first-round draft pick by Texas in 1996 and nine years before he went to the specialty pitch, struck out three.

Texas, which lost 8-0 on Friday night, ended a 21-inning scoring drought in the sixth. Nelson Cruz and David Murphy had consecutive bloop singles before Chris McGuiness grounded a hit through the right side of the infield. Cruz scored when Leonys Martin beat out a potential inning-ending double-play grounder.

Martin was 3 for 4, getting the RBI on the only at-bat he didn’t get a hit.

His fielder’s choice ended Dickey’s day and the longest scoreless streak by the Rangers since 25 innings in a row without a run in September 2009, also the last time they lost five games in a row at home.

Texas also had the bases loaded in the fourth before McGuiness struck out to end the inning. There were two runners on with no outs in the fifth before Dickey retired the Nos. 2-4 hitters in order.

Lind had his 12th multihit game his last 18 starts. He has raised his batting average 104 points to .343 since May 10.

Rasmus’ homer came right after Lind’s one-out single in the fourth.

Kinsler, out since May 18 with a ribcage injury, was supposed to stay at Double-A Frisco for at least three games and not expected back before Sunday at the earliest. That changed when after an 11-inning game on Friday night, he declared himself healthy and ready to rejoin the team — even after going 0 for 8 with a walk in the two rehab games.

Texas had a 6 1-2-game lead in the AL West when Kinsler got hurt, but then went 11-14 without the three-time All-Star.

While he was 0 for 4 with a walk Saturday, Kinsler was involved in a couple of highlight-worthy defensive plays that ended innings without him even putting his hand on the ball.

When Lindblom deflected Josh Thole’s high hopper, Kinsler scooped the ball with his glove and to first base in one motion to end the fourth. An inning later, Kinlser went toward to middle to glove Melky Cabrera’s grounder and was stumbling when he pushed the ball toward shortstop Elvis Andrus, who made a nice catch and pivot of his own to complete a double play.

Notes: Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil got out all four batters he faced, stretching his scoreless streak to 16 innings. He has retired 24 batters in a row. … Toronto’s win evened the all-time series between the teams to 195-195. … Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes, out since April 12 because of a sprained ankle, is expected to begin an injury rehabilitation assignment with Class A Dunedin on Monday. He went through a second simulated game in Florida on Saturday, going 2 for 2 with a triple and two walks. … Rangers 1B Mitch Moreland, rehabbing a right hamstring strain, is expected to play some games for Frisco this week. He is on track to come off the DL when eligible Friday.