Derek Holland called it the biggest moment of his career.
The left-hander tossed a five-hitter for his second career shutout and the Texas Rangers beat the Cleveland Indians 4-0 on Saturday night.
Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz each hit a two-run homer as Texas won for the seventh time in eight games to improve to 15-8 since May 10. The Rangers have won 15 of the last 18 meetings against the Indians and 10 of 11 at Progressive Field.
The win carried special significance for Holland, a native of Newark, Ohio. Several family members and friends made the 2½-hour car trip to Cleveland and he rewarded them with a gem.
"I left 10 tickets, but there were a lot of people here," Holland said. "My whole family was here. When I was doing my (television) interview after the game, I saw my teachers, some friends from church and a lot of other people. It's definitely a good feeling to throw in front of them, and to throw a shutout is special."
The large group was sitting behind the Rangers' dugout and was cheering for Holland throughout the game.
"I'm in the zone when I'm out there," he said. "I didn't hear them until after the game. They were all screaming. It was a really good feeling."
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Holland (5-1) struck out five, walked one and hit a batter in his first shutout since he threw a three-hitter in Texas' 7-0 victory at the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 9, 2009, during his rookie season.
Holland and his fans were planning to celebrate after he left the clubhouse.
"I've got 56 text messages to go through and it's still climbing," he said.
Cleveland's offense continued to struggle. Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, who has been in a season-long slump and is hitting .246, got the night off.
"Their kid was very good," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "Holland threw the ball very well. A lefty in the mid-90s with a very good mix of pitches, and (he) just flat-out shut us down."
Following Grady Sizemore's single in the second, Holland retired 12 batters in a row before walking Adam Everett with one out in the sixth. Michael Brantley followed with a single and an error by normally surehanded third baseman Adrian Beltre loaded the bases with two outs. Carlos Santana grounded out to Beltre on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
"I went right after him," Holland said. "I threw a changeup. I felt like he was sitting on a fastball. I've been having problems with big innings. That was a maturing moment."
"He picked Beltre up big-time," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "That could have saved the game."
Hamilton and Cruz connected against Fausto Carmona (3-7), who hasn't won since May 3 and is 0-4 in his last six starts. Hamilton went deep in the first, hitting a drive into the second deck in right field that traveled an estimated 445 feet. Cruz's drive came in the seventh, when he sent a 1-2 pitch an estimated 440 feet to the bleachers in left field.
Hamilton and Cruz also homered in Texas' 11-2 win Friday night, and the AL West-leading Rangers are 18-5 with both players in the lineup. The tandem has missed time with injuries.
After Elvis Andrus' one-out single, Hamilton, starting in center for the first time since coming off the DL on May 23, went deep on Carmona's first pitch. It was the third homer of the season for the reigning AL MVP, who has played in only 23 of Texas' 58 games.
"He usually starts away from me, but he left the first one up," Hamilton said.
Beltre was hit by a pitch to start the seventh and scored when Cruz hit his 12th homer. It was his third career homer in 13 at-bats against Carmona.
"I always knew their value," Washington said. "I'm just happy to have them back."
Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano threw his warmup pitches on the mound before the ninth inning, but was removed with lower back tightness.
NOTES: Rangers LHP Matt Harrison was diagnosed with a kidney stone and remained at the team hotel. He was scratched from Thursday's start because of a blister, but is expected to pitch Tuesday in Detroit. ... Hamilton lost control of his bat swinging at a pitch in the sixth inning. The bat flew over first base and landed about halfway down the right-field line. ... Acta said Choo would play Sunday. ... Indians 3B Jack Hannahan was out of the lineup for the second straight game because of a strained left hamstring.
