BALTIMORE – The Texas Rangers became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.
Trailing 3-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, the Rangers scored five runs in the fourth, nine in the sixth, 10 in the eighth and six in the ninth.
It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since Chicago set the major league record in a 36-7 rout of Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Marlon Byrd and Travis Metcalf hit grand slams for the Rangers. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, the bottom two batters in Texas’ lineup, each homered twice and finished with seven RBIs.
David Murphy had five of the Rangers’ 29 hits, the most by a major league team since Milwaukee had 31 in a 22-2 victory over Toronto on Aug. 28, 1992, according to Elias.
Texas also set a team record for runs scored in a doubleheader – before the second game even started.
Hours after announcing manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season, the Orioles absorbed the most lopsided loss in franchise history and set a team record for hits allowed in a game.
Saltalamacchia, a rookie who came in batting .179, went 4-for-6 with a walk and scored five runs.
Kason Gabbard (6-1) allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. He is 2-1 in six starts since Texas acquired him from Boston on July 31.
Even with the one-sided score, there was a save. Wes Littleton earned his second career save and first this season by pitching three scoreless innings.
