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ARLINGTON, Texas -- With Josh Hamilton and Yu Darvish regaining their form from the first half of the season, the Texas Rangers are beginning to pull away in the American League West. Wholesale Jerseys. Hamilton hit his 32nd homer and drove in three runs, Darvish struck out eight and the Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 Sunday. The Rangers are 10-3 since having their division lead cut down to three games on July 31. After Oakland lost Sunday, the Rangers now top the AL West by 6 1/2 games. "I just hope we can maintain what we have been doing," Hamilton said. Hamilton is a big reason for Texas surge. He was mired in a lengthy slump when manager Ron Washington gave him a mental day off on July 28. The slugger was then briefly dropped to the fifth spot in the lineup for the first time in two years. The 2010 AL MVP has responded since then, hitting three home runs with 15 RBIs in 11 games. The Rangers have gone 8-3 in that span. Hamilton had a two-run drive in the first inning, taking the major league lead and matching his career high. He added an RBI single to give him 99 RBIs, which is also tops in baseball. Darvish (12-8) allowed six hits and walked five to snap a personal two-game losing streak and help the Rangers take two of three from the Tigers. After starting the season 10-4, Darvish went 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA in six starts before Sunday. "He was the king and he acted like he was the king on the mound," Washington said. Ian Kinsler drove in two runs and Elvis Andrus scored three times. The Rangers, who knocked off the Tigers in last seasons AL championship series, won the season series 7-3. Miguel Cabrera had a two-run double as the Tigers slipped two games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Rick Porcello (9-7) gave up nine hits and six runs. The right-hander is 2-3 lifetime against the Rangers with a 7.83 ERA in five starts. The Tigers committed three errors and threw three wild pitches. Detroits offence was held to 11 hits in losing the last two games. "It was ugly, really ugly," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. Darvish improved to 3-0 against the Tigers this season as he avoided his first three-game losing streak. Darvish walked Andy Dirks and Cabrera with two outs in the seventh. Robbie Ross relieved and got Prince Fielder to pop out. With temperatures over 100 degrees, Darvish threw 120 pitches. "I felt like I was stronger in the end," Darvish said through an interpreter. "So the heat didnt affect me." The Rangers next travel to New York for a four-game set against the Yankees in a matchup of the two top teams in the AL. "We always enjoy playing in New York," Hamilton said. "But its just another series." Hamiltons 419-foot long ball -- his third homer in four games -- easily cleared the fence in centre and gave Texas a 2-0 lead. He equaled his career high in home runs, a mark he established in 2008 and 2010. Texas scored three runs in the third with the help of two Detroit errors. Kinslers RBI double made it 3-0, and he came home when Porcello made an errant throw toward third after fielding a hopper. Hamilton capped the inning with an RBI single to right that Brennan Boesch booted, allowing Hamilton to advance to third. Texas increased its advantage to 6-0 on Kinslers sacrifice fly in the fourth before the Tigers touched up Darvish. "I wanted to get back to my old form," Darvish said. "This was a big step." Omar Infantes RBI double in the fifth snapped a 12-inning scoreless slump, and Cabreras two-run double off Darvish gave him 98 RBIs and brought the Tigers to 6-3. The Rangers scored twice in the seventh thanks to three wild pitches and an error. NOTES: Texas infielder Alberto Gonzalez cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday. The Rangers had designated Gonzalez for assignment Friday. . Detroit LHP Daniel Schlereth (left shoulder tendinitis) pitched a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance for Class-A Lakeland on Saturday. . Rangers RHP Koji Uehara (right lat strain) threw a bullpen session Sunday. He is scheduled to pitch batting practice in Double-A Frisco on Wednesday. Cheap Jerseys. The Saints Thursday named Paytons trusted second-in-command their interim coach, despite the fact that Vitt will miss a third of the season for his role in New Orleans bounty system. Wholesale Jerseys Cheap. Although the teams chances of reaching the Euro 2012 quarterfinals in a group that includes Spain and Italy appear to be slim, Ireland coach Giovanni Trappatoni will be bringing and experienced squad to Poland and Ukraine. http://www.choicejerseys.com/. The Canadian womens eight won Olympic silver in an exciting final race on Day 6 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Cheap Jerseys China.C. -- U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson is ready to get back to work at the PGA Championship. Wholesale Jerseys USA. Beckett pitched his best game of the season, striking out nine and scattering four hits over seven innings as the Red Sox shut out the Seattle Mariners 5-0 on Tuesday, extending Bostons winning streak to five.Spring training for the Houston Astros has come with its share of drama in recent years. It should be no different next week in Kissimmee, Fla. Miguel Tejada was the biggest acquisition in an off-season full of changes, but the day after Tejada signed he was mentioned in the Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball. Since then, his older brother died in a motorcycle accident and the FBI opened a preliminary investigation trying to determine if Tejada made false statements to U.S. House committee staff in 2005 when he was interviewed about Rafael Palmeiro and steroids. The Astros still expect Tejada to show up on time for the teams first full-squad workout Feb. 19. The 2002 AL MVP is certain to be the centre of attention - like Roger Clemens was last season as he threw batting practice and pondered retirement, and like Jeff Bagwell was in 2006 when he tried to play through an injured shoulder and settle an insurance dispute with the team. Weve had the Rocket here, we had Carlos Lee come here last year with a US$100-million contract and that attracted a lot of attention, Houston manager Cecil Cooper said. Theres always been a lot of media around. As a staff, we just have to focus on what guys do on the field and getting the guys ready. Cooper has plenty of other things to think about before the season starts March 31, including the starting rotation, the batting order and the bullpen. Cooper says his top priority is finding out whom he has behind No. 1 starter Roy Oswalt. He needs left-hander Wandy Rodriguez to show he can blossom into a consistent starter after going 28-33 in his first three seasons. Hes hoping Brandon Backe returns to his 2005 form after Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. Hes banking on 41-year-old Woody Williams turning around after he went 8-15 in 2007. And he needs to find a starter from a group that include Chris Sampson, Felipe Paulino and Fernando Nieve. Weve got some capable guys right there, Cooper said. I think we saw the worst of Woody last year. Hell be better. Im anxious to see Brandon Backe for a whole year. The growth process is continuing to help Wandy. I think weve got some quality there. Cooper said he wont settlle on the batting order until just before the regular season, and theres no shortage of possibilities.dddddddddddd The Astros acquired speedster Michael Bourn to play centre field and Kaz Matsui to replace Craig Biggio at second base. Tejada, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence already form a hard-hitting quartet in the middle of the lineup. Cooper is eager to evaluate his teams offensive potential. The Astros scored 723 runs in 2007, fourth-fewest in the NL. Ill have discussions with guys about where theyre comfortable in the lineup, Cooper said. I know some guys are projected to bat here or there (in the order), but I want to see how everybody fits. We still have to go to camp and see what everybody can do. The bullpen has been revamped. Houston has a new closer (Jose Valverde), two set-up men (Oscar Villareal and Doug Brocail) and other new options (Geoff Geary, Ryan Houston and Chad Paronto) who will compete for spots. Relief pitching was a weakness last season, but Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler were among those traded away. Weve got a great basis to build from, Cooper said. Well go a little on past history and then well determine whos the best fit where, based on what we see (at spring training). Pitchers and catchers report Thursday and as the rest of the players filter in, Cooper might consider handing out name tags. More than half the players on the 40-man roster werent on the team at the end of last season. The Astros went 73-89 in 2007, their second losing season since 1991, and Cooper said a wholesale renovation of the roster was necessary. Change is good, Cooper said. We were just not a very good team last year. Last September, when some of the kids were coming up and contributing, you could already see changes that were definitely positive. Note: The Houston Astros have made an offer to free-agent right-hander Shawn Chacon. The 30-year-old Chacon went 5-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 64 appearances (96 innings), including four starts, for Pittsburgh last season. Chacon has a career record of 43-58 in seven seasons with Colorado, the New York Mets and the Pirates. Hes started 119 games in 254 career appearances. ' ' '