CLEVELAND, April 26 (UPI) -- Paul Byrd yielded three earned runs and eight hits in six innings Thursday afternoon as the Cleveland Indians beat the Texas Rangers, 9-4.
Byrd's job was made easier when Cleveland jumped out to a 5-1 lead after two innings.
Trot Nixon hit a two-run homer and had two hits; Grady Sizemore had one run, two hits and one RBI; Casey Blake and Travis Hafner both drove in runs on bases-loaded walks; while Sizemore, Nixon and Shin-Soo Choo all had two hits for the Indians, who have a five-game winning streak.
Byrd (2-1) walked one batter and stuck out three.
Sammy Sosa hit two solo homers -- giving him 594 for his career -- while he, Kenny Lofton, Hank Blalock and Gerald Laird each had two hits for the Rangers, who have dropped three straight and six of eight.
Loser Kameron Loe (1-1) gave up seven runs -- six earned -- and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
