ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Rangers scored early and added runs late to take the first game of the series with an impressive 8-1 victory. Adrian Beltre, Michael Young and Josh Hamilton hit homers and Matt Harrison was able to bear down with runners on base and put together a quality start. It was a good bounce-back win for Texas after Nefatli Feliz's struggles late in Wednesday's loss to Houston. Some quick reaction from the game:
* It was a gritty performance for Harrison. One start after grinding out a long start against the Braves, which included staying warm during a 2-hour, 16-minute rain delay and then pitching a few more innings after the rain left, Harrison was able to get through seven. He didn't have his best stuff but pitched out of jams and used his defense. He held the Mets to one run on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
* Harrison now has had quality starts in seven of his last eight starts, though he missed a start this month because of a blister on his left index finger and dealt with a bruise on his triceps and a kidney stone. Despite all of that, he's pitched pretty well recently and continues to keep his team in games. His ERA has dropped to 3.00. This was his first win in June.
* Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus sprained his left wrist sliding head first into second base in the bottom of the fourth inning on Friday. The club said he will be evaluated further. Andrus drove in the club's fourth run with a two-out RBI single in the fourth. He had two singles, a sacrifice bunt, and a stolen base before leaving.
* Pitching coach Mike Maddux had a productive trip to the mound in the fifth. After Harrison allowed his first run of the game with one out, he needed just one pitch to induce a double-play ball off the bat of leadoff hitter Jose Reyes. The ball went to third and Adrian Beltre stepped on the bag before throwing to first.
* Beltre hit his first homer since June 8 against Detroit, blasting a two-run shot in the first inning to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Beltre snapped an 0-for-10 hitless streak as well and notched his 54th and 55th RBIs, team-highs. Beltre added a double in the seventh.
* The Rangers scored the first run of the game on Josh Hamilton's single to right. Ian Kinsler led off the first with a double to center after the ball went off Jason Bay's glove in center (he may have lost it in the sun). He then went to third on Elvis Andrus' sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate easily on Hamilton's hit. So Harrison got an early lead.
* In the third, Rangers third base coach Dave Anderson decided to hold catcher Yorvit Torrealba when Andrus hit a single with runners at first and second and two outs. The decision allowed Hamilton to bat with the bases loaded and two outs, but Hamilton struck out.
* Michael Young hit a two-run homer that turned a 4-1 game into a 6-1 game in the seventh. That homer probably helped make the decision to pull Harrison easier as Darren Oliver came in. Not a bad night for Young: Caught Dirk Nowitzki's first pitch and hit his fifth homer of the season.
* Torrealba had a three-hit night, his second of the month. He has now hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games and hit .447 (21-for-47) in that stretch to get his batting average over .265 for the season.
* Mark Lowe got out of the eighth inning with two on and two out. He has inherited 22 runners this season and only three have scored. He came back out and got the final three outs of the game in the ninth.
* In the eighth, Hamilton hit the 100th homer of his career, into the bullpen in right-center. The two-run shot put the Rangers up 8-1. It was his seventh homer of the season in his 40th game.
* Dirk Nowitzki shot a jumper from the mound (yes, it was hit one-legged fadeaway) and then fired a high pitch to Michael Young before the game. Read all about it and Nowitzki's thoughts here.