Spring Fever: Rangers @ Diamondbacks

Rangers 9, D'Backs 8

Sammy Sosa went 2-for-3 Wednesday in the Texas Rangers' 9-8 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting his second homer of spring training.

The 38-year-old outfielder, who didn't play once in the big leagues last season, hit a three-run shot that put the Rangers ahead 6-0 in the third, off of former World Series MVP Livan Hernandez. Since going 0-for-3 with two whiffs in a B-game Friday, Sosa is 5-for-12 with two homers and four RBIs in four games.

Before Sosa's longball, catcher Gerald Laird homered, Michael Young had an RBI single, and Mark Teixeira nailed a run-scoring double before adding a two-run single in the fourth. Kenny Lofton also drove in a run on a double that inning, bringing the score to 9-1.

Hernandez gave up nine runs - seven earned - and 10 hits in 3.1 innings, striking out one and walking none.

Rangers ace, Kevin Millwood, tossed a B-game Wednesday morning, striking out two and allowing two hits in two innings. Vying for a spot in the Rangers' rotation, John Koronka retired all nine batters he faced in a 31-pitch outing. Kameron Loe, another candidate for the #5 spot, struck out two and allowed one unearned run in three innings.

[MLB] | [MiLB]