Andrus' aggressive baserunning pays off

ARLINGTON -- Elvis Andrus was trying to steal second. He ended up with much more.

Fresh off hitting a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the fifth Saturday against the Indians, Andrus broke for second and slid as the throw down from Indians catcher Carlos Santana closed in. That throw, though, bounced off Andrus and dribbled into shallow left field.

Andrus quickly got up and headed for third. As Michael Brantley approached the ball in left field, Andrus rounded third and darted for the plate, where he went in headfirst and just got around Santana's tag on a bang-bang play that gave the Rangers a sixth-inning lead at 7-6.

Texas went on to lose 10-8, but Andrus' play on the bases was a moment that gave the Rangers temporary momentum and isn't done justice in the box score.

"Great job by our third-base coach, great job by Elvis running," manager Jeff Banister said. "Heads up, moves to third, he's running hard the whole way. Tony [Beasley], great job by him sending him."

The play contained plenty of typical Andrus flair, a style that can be high risk and high reward. Andrus -- who went 2-for-3 Saturday -- later got picked off and tagged out in a run down in the seventh inning.

"Elvis, he's a gamer," catcher Robinson Chirinos said. "That doesn't surprise me, what Elvis did tonight. because he plays hard and he does it all the time."