Napoli, Cruz homer for Rangers in 4-2 win over Ms

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Mike Napoli's three-run homer put the Texas Rangers ahead to stay. The catcher also blocked the plate to prevent a run and was in sync with pitcher Matt Harrison all night.

Not a bad all-around effort.

Nelson Cruz added a homer of his own and two outfield assists, combining with Napoli to deny Brendan Ryan an inside-the-park homer in the eighth inning, and Texas beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Monday night.

''That was awesome,'' said Harrison, who tossed eight strong innings.

Napoli and Cruz homered before Michael Saunders singled in the eighth for Seattle. Ryan followed with a liner to right-center that bounced over the glove of a diving Craig Gentry and rolled to the wall.

While Saunders scored easily, Cruz ran down the ball and threw to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who made a perfect relay to the plate. Napoli tagged out the sliding Ryan.

''I'm never going to forget that as long as I live,'' Ryan said. ''I don't even know where to start with that. ... I never had the opportunity before. Loss aside and all that, it would have been pretty sweet. Kind of a baseball bucket list thing.''

Except Ryan never touched the plate because of the block by Napoli after the heads-up play by Cruz.

''The play was really made by Nelson Cruz backing up that play when Gentry dove for the ball,'' Texas manager Ron Washington said. ''Kinsler made a really tremendous relay throw and Mike blocked the plate, but Nelson Cruz was the one that saved that run by backing up. He could have been watching what was going on, but instead was where he was supposed to be.''

Cruz homered in the second to tie the game at 1. Napoli went deep for the second game in a row when he hit a tiebreaking shot in the sixth.

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Napoli, Cruz homer for Rangers in 4-2 win over Ms