--Beating Los Angeles LHP Joe Saunders gave the Rangers an AL-high of nine wins in games in which the opposition started a lefty. The Rangers, who were 21-31 against lefties last year, are 9-4 this season.
--1B Chris Davis hit the game-winning homer Thursday and also did not strike out, ending a streak of 21 consecutive games with at least one strike out. That tied the Rangers' club record shared by Pete Incaviglia and Jeff Kunkel. --RHP Brandon McCarthy allowed three homers in the first six innings Wednesday, but he pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning for his longest outing of the season. The Rangers won a game in which the starter allowed at least three homers for the first time since June 8, 2007, and only the third time in the last five seasons.
BY THE NUMBERS: .204 -- DH Hank Blalock's average for 54 at-bats with runners on base this season, through May 10. He was hitting .309 with nobody on base.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "When your bell cow has success with something, I think everybody is more willing to follow. You work fast and you throw strikes, you get your defense more involved. Good defense can make a medium pitcher a good pitcher and a good pitcher into a great one." -- Pitching coach Mike Maddux, on the overall success the starting rotation has enjoyed since RHP Kevin Millwood quickened his pace on the mound to start the season. Since then, the others have followed.
