MLB Notebook: Rios has winning equation

Over 18 innings at Forbes Field on July 7, 1922, Pirates center fielder Max Carey did just about everything possible to help his team in its attempt to defeat the defending World Series champion Giants.

However, despite Carey's six hits (including a double) in six at-bats, three walks and three stolen bases, Carey and his Bucs came out on the short end, losing 9-8. It would be 55 years until another player had a game that featured at least six hits and at least two stolen bases.

Like the Carey game early on in the live-ball era, the one on July 26, 1977, was also a contest that went deep into extra innings (15) and also saw the featured performer -- this time the Padres Gene Richards (also playing center field) -- put together his act in a loss.

These two major themes -- extra innings and losing -- were finally put to rest the next time a player had a six-hit, two-steal game. On July 2, 1993, in Colorado, Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa, in just nine innings, collected a double, five singles and three stolen bases. He was also able to celebrate an 11-8 victory.

And like Carey getting company with Richards, Sosa now has a companion. White Sox right fielder Alex Rios went 6-for-6 with a triple and two stolen bases Tuesday in an 11-4 win over the Tigers.

Rios tied the AL record for hits in a nine-inning game, accomplished 36 previous times. The most recent player to do it had been Ian Kinsler, on April 15, 2009. Rios is the fifth White Sox player to do it, joining Rip Radcliff (1936), Hank Steinbacher ('38), Floyd Robinson ('62) and Lance Johnson ('95).

Of the 37 AL players with six hits in a nine-inning game, Rios is one of 22 to have at least five singles and one of seven to have a triple. His hit profile of one triple and five singles is the only one of its kind among these 37.

For both leagues, and removing the qualifier of nine-inning games, Rios is one of five players since 1916 to have at least one triple and at least five singles in a game. The others: George Sisler (1921), Rocky Colavito ('62), Bill Madlock ('75) and Kirby Puckett ('91).

Beltre moving up the charts
The Rangers topped the Orioles, 8-4, getting a 4-for-4, two-homer, five-RBI game from Adrian Beltre.

With the two homers, Beltre tied and then moved past Mickey Mantle into the 17th spot for the most extra-base hits for a player through his age-34 season. With 881 extra-base hits, Beltre is directly behind Eddie Mathews and Sosa, who each had 901. If Beltre passes Mathews, he will have the most in history for any third baseman through his age-34 season.

Since the start of the 2010 season, Beltre leads all third basemen in hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases and extra-base hits. His Major League ranks for all of these categories: hits (sixth), doubles (fifth), home runs (fourth), RBIs (seventh), total bases (third) extra-base hits (fourth).

Miggy builds on big half
Miguel Cabrera homered and had two RBIs, bringing his numbers in these two Triple Crown categories to 29 and 92.

The 29 home runs are the most for a Tigers player before the All-Star break, eclipsing the 28 hit by Cecil Fielder in 1990. The 92 RBIs are the sixth most for a player before the All-Star break. Cabrera is now looking up at Hank Greenberg (103 in 1935), Juan Gonzalez (101 in '98), Carlos Delgado (97 in 2003), Manny Ramirez (96 in 1999) and Josh Hamilton (95 in 2008).

Papi ties Baines' DH mark
David Ortiz contributed to an Red Sox offensive barrage with a pair of doubles and a home run, giving him 14 games with at least three extra-base hits in his Red Sox career. Since 1916, only Ted Williams has had more (19) such games with Boston.

Ortiz also added a single, pushing his career total of hits as a designated hitter to 1,688, to tie Harold Baines for the most all-time. Ortiz is already the career DH leader in doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases and extra-base hits.

Among players with at least 3,000 plate appearances as a DH (there are 14 of them), Ortiz's raw OPS in the role (.944) is the second highest, behind Edgar Martinez's .959.

Here and there
• Ubaldo Jimenez (six innings, five hits) and three relievers combined on an eight-hit shutout as the Indians topped the Blue Jays, 3-0. Cleveland has 11 shutouts this season -- the most in the AL and the most for the franchise at this point in the season (90 games) since the 1968 club had 17.

• The Rays continue to win, and continue to do so with superb pitching. With Chris Archer (six innings, three hits, one unearned run) and three relievers combining to allow five hits and no walks, the Rays' 4-1 victory over the Twins gave the club its 10th win in the past 11 games. The pitching numbers over this stretch: 101 innings, 72 hits, 22 runs (21 earned, for a 1.87 ERA), 89 strikeouts and 23 walks.

• Cardinals leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter had three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored -- the second time this season (and this month) he has had a three-hit, three-run, three-RBI game. Since 1916, two other Cardinals players -- Lou Brock in 1967 and Ray Lankford in '94 -- had multiple games like this from the leadoff slot in one season. Brock and Lankford each had two.

• Brewers right-hander Wily Peralta threw a three-hit shutout against the Reds, picking up his first career complete game. Peralta is the third pitcher in the franchise's history to produce a shutout on three hits or fewer within his first 25 career games. Both of the previous occurrences took place in 1971, when Bill Parsons tossed a three-hit shutout in his fifth career game and Jim Slaton cooked up a three-hit shutout of his own in his 13th game.

• Reds southpaw Tony Cingrani struck out 10 batters in taking the loss against the Brewers, but with the effort, he joined Gary Nolan as the only Reds pitchers since 1916 to produce multiple double-digit strikeout games within his first 17 games in the Majors. Nolan had three -- in his second, 10th and 11th career games.

• The Dodgers defeated the D-backs, 6-1, to move to within one game of .500 and 2 1/2 games of first-place Arizona. After losing on June 21, the Dodgers were in last place in the National League West, 9 1/2 games behind the division leader. Since then, Los Angeles has the best record in the Majors at 14-3.