Josh Hamilton makes big impact on Rangers

For his second tour with the Rangers, Josh Hamilton has developed an alter ego.

Meet Big Country.

“Big Country is looking good,” teammate Prince Fielder said. “He’s big and healthy. As soon as I saw him, I knew we were going to be all right.”

Big Country lifted the entire club on Sunday.

Boston manager John Farrell dared Big County to beat the Red Sox, and he did. Hamilton, batting as a pinch-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning, drove a split-finger fastball from closer Koji Uehara into the left-center gap for a two-run double and a 4-3 win at Globe Life Park.

It was the Rangers’ fourth comeback win in the last eight games. They had three comeback wins in the first 43 games.

“The significance of how it ended and the players involved really made it special and fun,” manager Jeff Banister said.

Hamilton’s hit gave the Rangers a winning record (26-25) for the first time this season.

“A game like today reminds you of the good times with the Rangers,” Hamilton said.

Big Country started his second tour with the Rangers last Monday at Cleveland. His first week with the new-old club could hardly have gone any better.

Hamilton did not disrupt a team on the rise. The Rangers are 5-2 since putting Hamilton on the roster.

He has been productive. Hamilton was 5-for-11 with two homers and five RBIs as the Rangers took the four-game series with Boston. The bat speed that made him a five-time All-Star and American League Most Valuable Player in 2010 while with the Rangers is there again.

“It’s been one of the most fun weeks I’ve ever had in baseball,” Hamilton said. “It’s been awesome. I’m going to keep on having fun.”

This story was originally published June 1, 2015 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Josh Hamilton makes big impact on Rangers."