ARLINGTON, Texas -- Dave Stieb and two relievers combined on a four-hitter Tuesday night to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-0 victory over the Texas Rangers despite a 14-strikeout performance by Nolan Ryan.
Stieb, 10-6, pitched 5 2-3 innings for the victory. He gave up two hits, walked three and struck out two. David Wells hurled a hitless 1 1-3 innings before Duane Ward came on the eighth to post his 11th save.
Ryan, 11-6, went six innings, gave up six hits, three runs and walked three. It was the 10th time Ryan has fanned 10 or more in a game this year and the 191st in his career. The major league strikeout king has 4,955 in his career.
Kenny Rogers relieved Ryan in the seventh and struck out three. Paul Wilmet recorded one strikeout in the ninth to give the Rangers a combined 18 strikeouts, a Texas record for a nine-inning game.
Toronto has won 12 of its last 17 games to reach the .500 mark (50-50) for the first time since June 23,
Toronto scored an unearned run in the first. Center fielder Cecil Espy dropped Junior Felix's pop for an error to open the game. Felix went to third on a groundout. Ryan struck out George Bell, but catcher Chad Krueter couldn't come up with the ball and by the time he picked it up, Felix had crossed the plate.
Nelson Liriano's double into the right-field corner scored Lloyd Moseby from second to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead in the second. Moseby had walked and went to second on a walk to Greg Myers.
Bell's double down the left-field line scored Kelly Gruber to make it 3-0 in the seventh. Gruber singled and stole second before scoring.
Toronto added a run in the ninth on singles by Bell, Fred McGriff and Pat Borders singled.
Toronto catcher Ernie Whitt, unhappy about calls behind the plate, was ejected in the third inning. It was his second ejection of the year, the first coming June 12 in Detroit.
