CLEVELAND – Josh Hamilton has played in two World Series, appeared in five All-Star Games and won a Most Valuable Player Award. Yet he still had to fight off nerves in his return to the majors Monday.
"It was good to get the first at-bat out of the way, I was a little nervous up there," Hamilton said after making his season debut in the Rangers' sixth consecutive victory, 10-8 over the Cleveland Indians. "After that, second at-bat I was feeling pretty good. It was just good to be out there. It was good to feel the energy in the dugout."
Hamilton, slowed this season by shoulder surgery, was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk and scored a run. He also reached on a key error in the seventh inning that led to the winning run as Texas ended Cleveland's six-game winning streak.
The 2010 AL MVP came up with runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh inning with the score 8-8. He hit an easy tapper back to pitcher Zach McAllister, whose throw was well over the head of first baseman Carlos Santana for a two-base error. Prince Fielder scored.
Hamilton was traded from the Angels back to Texas in late April. He finished a minor league rehab assignment Saturday.
The Rangers didn't arrive in Cleveland until 4 a.m. after completing a three-game sweep in Yankee Stadium on Sunday night, but they looked like a refreshed bunch in Hamilton's return.
"Mentality's everything," he said. "You start winning some ballgames, guys get a lot of confidence. It goes from hitting to pitching to playing defense, so I like it, man. I like winning and the situation I'm in. Guys are hungry, and I want to go out there and fight and play hard and have fun."
Rangers manager Jeff Banister told Hamilton before the game to fit in and play his game.
