ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Adrian Beltre hit three home runs Tuesday in powering the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays and into the AL Championship series.
Beltre, who was 1-for-11 in the first three games against Tampa Bay, became the fifth player to hit three home runs in a major league playoff game. Ian Kinsler led off the game with a home run for the Rangers' other run.
The win gave Texas the best-of-five American League Division Series 3-1.
It is the second consecutive year the Rangers beat Tampa Bay in the playoffs to advance to the AL Championship Series. Texas won the AL pennant over the New York Yankees last year but lost the World Series to the San Francisco Giants.
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The Rangers will face either the Yankees or Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. The Tigers lead the best-of-five series 2-1 going into Tuesday's game in Detroit.
The ALCS, a best-of-seven series, is to begin Saturday.
Texas starter Matt Harrison (1-0) allowed five hits and two runs over five innings in getting the victory. Neftali Feliz pitched the ninth for his third save of the series
The Rangers were up 2-0 when the Rays' Sean Rodriguez was safe after colliding with Rangers catcher Mike Napoli at home. Rodriguez scored again two innings later and the Rays added a run in the ninth but the Texas long-ball attack was too much to overcome.
Kinsler put Texas ahead by leading off the game with a home run off Jeremy Hellickson (0-1).
Hellickson allowed just four hits over four innings but, in addition to the Kinsler home run, two of the hits were homers by Beltre.
His first home run led off the second and he added another in the fourth. Beltre made the score 4-2 in the seventh with a towering shot off Matt Moore that dropped into the left-field seats.
