Beltre's 3 HRs give Rangers ALDS win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- This is what Adrian Beltre envisioned when he signed with Texas in the offseason. Balls jumping off his bat in October, the Rangers making another run for the pennant.

Beltre hit three straight home runs and the defending AL champions advanced again, beating the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3, in Game 4 Tuesday to win their Division Series.

Beltre put on a power show that few players in major- league history have matched, helping Texas take the best-of-five series and ending the Rays' remarkable run that earned them the wild-card spot. The Rangers will face the Tigers-Yankees winner in the ALCS.

"From my point of view, Texas gave me the best chance to put a ring on my finger," Beltre said, "and I am just two steps away from it. Hopefully that happens."

Ian Kinsler led off the game for Texas by homering on the second pitch from rookie Jeremy Hellickson. Then it was Beltre's turn. He came into the game in a 1-for-11 slump in this series before breaking loose.

"I think besides my first big- league hit, this is right up there," said the slugger, who spent last season with the Boston Red Sox. He's back in the postseason for the first time since 2004, when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Beltre became just the sixth player to homer three times in a postseason game, and the first since Adam Kennedy of the Angels in 2002. Babe Ruth, who accomplished the feat twice, Reggie Jackson and George Brett also are on the list.

Beltre connected in his first three at-bats. Given a chance to tie the big-league record of four homers in a game, he hit a routine flyout in the eighth against Wade Davis.

"I was just trying to get a run there. Hit a line drive somewhere, maybe in the gap because they were trying to come back. . . . Winning the game was more important for me than to hit the [fourth] homer," Beltre said.

Neftali Feliz gave up a run in the ninth inning before closing for his third save of the series, preserving the victory for Matt Harrison.

Texas won for the fifth straight time on the road overall -- all at Tropicana Field -- in the opening round. The Rangers eliminated Tampa Bay in five games last year, winning three times in the Rays' home stadium.