Arlington, Texas ? After becoming just the second player in Texas Rangers history — and first in more than 19 years — to hit for the cycle, Mark Teixeira tried to contain his emotions.

“Anytime you’re up 16-1, you never want to show the other team up, show too much on the field,” Teixeira said.

Teixeira went 4-for-5 and drove in a career-high seven runs in a 16-4 rout of the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night as the Rangers stretched their winning streak to five games and gave Scott Erickson his first victory in more than two years.

Teixeira hit a two-run double in the third, a three-run homer in the fourth, a two-run triple in the fifth, and a leadoff single in the seventh for the club’s first cycle since Oddibe McDowell accomplished the feat July 23, 1985, against the Indians at Arlington Stadium.

“I was definitely happy and excited inside, but you don’t want to be celebrating in a situation like that,” Teixeira said.

The first baseman was removed for a pinch-runner after his single, leaving to a standing ovation from the crowd of 24,864 with his team ahead 16-1. He’s the fifth player to hit for the cycle this season, joining Milwaukee’s Chad Moeller, Pittsburgh’s Daryle Ward, Philadelphia’s David Bell and Eric Valent of the New York Mets.

The hardest part of the cycle for Teixeira, an average baserunner, was his first triple of the season — and fifth of his career.

“Triples are a weird thing, especially for a guy like me,” he said. “You need some bounces, you need a big outfield. For me, they’re few and far between.”

Before his at-bat in the seventh, his teammates made sure he knew he needed a single for the cycle.

“They were kidding me, telling me to trip over first base if I hit one into the gap,” Teixeira said. “I just wanted to swing at a good pitch. I didn’t want to get myself out on my last at-bat.”

Texas' Mark Teixeira hits a two-run double against Cleveland. Teixeira became the first Texas player to hit for the cycle since Oddibe McDowell in 1985, and the Rangers clubbed Cleveland, 16-4, Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.

Gary Matthews Jr. and Kevin Mench also homered for Texas, which had 17 hits.

Mench went 3-for-5 and came within a triple of the cycle.

“This gave us a chance to relax,” Mench said. “(The game) was a part of history.”

The Rangers’ 17-hit attack helped Erickson (1-2) win for the first time since Aug. 7, 2002, while with Baltimore. He allowed one run and three hits over six innings. The Rangers acquired Erickson July 31 in a trade with the New York Mets, and Erickson had lost his first two starts for Texas with a 6.30 earned-run average.

“There’s no better way to get your first win of the season than for a team trying to get into the playoffs,” said Erickson, who missed last season because of a shoulder injury and had a 7.88 ERA in two starts for the Mets this season.

Tigers 11, White Sox 8

Chicago — Bobby Higginson hit a three-run homer in the second inning and a two-run drive in the fourth, and Detroit hit four homers off Freddy Garcia. Omar Infante led off the game with a home run, and Carlos Guillen and Dmitri Young each hit solo shots for the Tigers. Ben Davis and Joe Borchard hit solo home runs for the White Sox, who dropped five games behind AL Central-leading Minnesota.

Chicago was without manager Ozzie Guillen, who was hospitalized and might have kidney stones. Guillen also served the first game of a two-game suspension.

Mike Maroth (10-7), who turned 27 Tuesday, improved to 5-0 in his last seven starts, allowing six runs — three earned — and nine hits in 51/3 innings.

Twins 8, Yankees 2

Minneapolis — Brad Radke pitched seven solid innings, Corey Koskie drove in three runs, and Minnesota beat New York in the regular season for the first time since 2001. Koskie and Justin Morneau each homered for Minnesota, which won for only fourth time in its last 12 games and handed the Yankees their second straight loss. The Twins, whose AL Central lead had been cut to one game Saturday, boosted it to 31/2 games over second-place Cleveland.

Athletics 11, Orioles 0

Baltimore — Tim Hudson pitched a five-hitter to earn his first victory since June 11, and Scott Hatteberg’s second grand slam of the season highlighted a four-homer attack that carried Oakland past Baltimore. Jermaine Dye, Eric Byrnes and Adam Melhuse also homered for the A’s, who have outscored Baltimore 14-1 in winning the first two games of the three-game set. The loss ended Baltimore’s run of winning four straight series.

Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 4

Boston — Orlando Cabrera hit a run-scoring double off the Green Monster in the ninth inning on reliever Justin Speier’s second pitch of the game, giving Boston a win over Toronto. Pinch-hitter Dave Roberts drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and was forced out at second base on Johnny Damon’s grounder off Kevin Frederick (0-2). Speier relieved and Cabrera, just 13-for-65 since he was acquired July 31, hit a drive off the left-field scoreboard. The ball bounded high in the air as Damon came around and slid in ahead of Kevin Cash’s tag.

Devil Rays 8, Angels 3

St. Petersburg, Fla. — B.J. Upton became the first teenager in more than six years to homer in a major-league game, and Tampa Bay snapped a six-game losing streak. The 19-year-old Upton was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft.