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BALTIMORE - Some people like to mark their birthday with a cake and candles. Nelson Cruz has a different approach. Cruz hit his 26th home run on his 34th birthday, and the Baltimore Orioles breezed past the skidding Texas Rangers 8-3 Tuesday night. "A homer and a victory. That was a nice day," Cruz said. "I like to celebrate with homers." In five career games on his birthday, Cruz is 7 for 19 with two long balls. On this night, his third home run in seven games left him only seven short of his career high of 33, set in 2009 with Texas. Cruz needs one more homer to match his total from last year with the Rangers, a season cut short by a 50-game suspension as part of the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal. None of that really matters to Cruz. After signing a one-year, $8 million contract with Baltimore during the off-season, he is focused on helping the Orioles earn a post-season berth for the second time in three years. "Its been a blessing. Im happy with the situation that we are as a team," he said. "Thats more important to me. The numbers, at the end of the season were going to look at it. But right now we focus on winning games, and thats what were doing." Steve Pearce and Caleb Joseph also went deep for the Orioles, who are assured of at least a split of the four-game series after winning the first two. Pearce and Cruz delivered solo shots in the first inning and Joseph connected with a man on in the second. It was the third homer in two nights for Pearce. T.J. McFarland (1-1) allowed two runs in a career-high five innings to win his second career start compared to 51 relief appearances. "He pitched as well as we thought he could," manager Buck Showalter said. "He makes our bullpen better, but its nice to know that you have that type of option down there with a guy if you can get the proper rest." Rangers rookie Nick Martinez (1-6) gave up eight runs, six earned, and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander is 0-5 with an 8.10 ERA in seven starts since earning his lone career win at Detroit on May 24. "I feel like I pitched better than what it showed," Martinez said. The Rangers (37-46) have lost 11 of 13 overall to fall nine games under .500 for the first time since they were 9-18 on April 29, 2008. Texas has dropped seven straight on the road, its longest such skid in six seasons. Shortstop Elvis Andrus, who made a key error, said: "As a player I always get mad when Im not enjoying the game, and thats exactly whats happening right now." For the second game in a row, Baltimore homered twice in the first inning. Pearce hit a liner in front of the left-field foul pole that glanced off the glove of Shin-Soo Choo and dropped over the wall. One out later, Cruz smacked a 1-1 pitch over the centre-field wall. Texas pulled even in the second when Adam Rosales hit a two-run double in his first at-bat of the season. In the bottom half, Joseph drove a 3-1 pitch into the front row of the left-field seats for a 4-2 lead. The three homers allowed by Martinez were a career high. The Orioles used three hits, a walk and an error to pull away with a four-run fourth. With the bases loaded, Andrus fumbled Josephs potential double-play grounder to allow a run to score. Nick Markakis followed with an RBI double and Pearce added a sacrifice fly. "It was an easy ground ball," Andrus said. "No excuse about it." Chris Gimenez hit a run-scoring grounder off Ryan Webb in the Texas sixth. But the Rangers went quietly after that in their ninth loss in 10 games against Baltimore, dating to last year. NOTES: Texas designated LHP Joe Saunders for assignment and recalled RHP Miles Mikolas from Triple-A Round Rock. Mikolas will make his first major league start on Wednesday. Nick Tepesch, who was slated to start Wednesday, was pushed back to Friday against the Mets. ... The Orioles activated OF Nolan Reimould (spine) from the 60-day DL and designated him for assignment. The oft-injured Reimold, 30, has played in 56 games since the start of the 2012 season. ... Texas Roughned Odor had two hits to snap a 4-for-29 skid. Yeezy Schuhe Deutschland . - After a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, Alex Guenette has earned the 2013 rookie of the year award for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 by just one point over Ryley Seibert. Ultra Boost Günstig Kaufen . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up. http://www.yeezyschuhe.de/yeezy-schuhe-deutschland/yeezy-boost-650-kaufen.html . The Bruins forward has been fined $5,000 by the National Hockey League for spearing Red Wings defenceman Danny DeKeyser in the groin. Ultra Boost Schuhe Sale . For the Athletics, hes extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting. Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. Fake Yeezy Kaufen Deutschland . In the second game of their day/night doubleheader at Minneapolis, three Blue Jays pitchers, Steve Delabar, Sergio Santos and J.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hey Kerry, Just want to say I love the article. Its great to have your perspective! With the use today of instant replay, sometimes as fans we have the luxury of reviewing plays that the on ice official doesnt have. Im referring to missed penalty infractions, off sides and embellishments. I was wondering if referees/linesman ever go to the dressing room between periods and look at any of these replays. And if so, doesnt it make them want to make a "make up call?" Your input would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks,Jeff ReynoldsOttawa, Ontario Hey Jeff: I can assure you that NHL referees and linesmen check the television monitor in the officials dressing room between periods if there has been a call (made or potentially missed) that might require a second look to provide some measure of affirmation. You might find this hard to believe, Jeff, but every official strives to work that illusive "perfect game." They are extremely hard-working and dedicated men but as we know all too well, they are human and mistakes are made. None of this has changed through the four decades that I worked as an official for the NHL. What has changed is that before video replay and modern technology provided replays on the score clock and throughout the arena, the officials had to trust their first gut reaction and hope that the right call was made. Players and coaches always let you know instantly what they thought of your decision. Head games were sometimes played with the ref when false information was purposely provided from the players bench where an assistant coach was in communication with a "spotter" in the press box. The spotter sat near a television monitor and had access to the broadcast replay or an in-house video feed. Some teams began placing a small monitor at their bench and coaches would quickly point to it telling the official the call he made was dead wrong! The next comment to the ref was, "You owe us one!" When the period ended, the officials would inevitably rush to the monitor in their dressing room and hope that the play was shown on the intermission broadcast feed. After several times of witnessing clear evidence that the correct call had in fact been made, I began to take a very proactive approach with players or coaches that wanted to quickly provide false misinformation. In an attempt to hold them accountable to their word I would look the individual in the eye and tell him how much I respected his honesty and trusted what he said to be true.dddddddddddd If, however, after personally watching the replay between periods I found that the player or coach was not telling me the truth, their credibility with me would be seriously damaged! I asked again if they were sure the call was wrong. Guilty parties often said they would check the replay during intermission and get back to me. I knew I had them at that point! Others were too far committed and stuck to their guns. On at least one occasion a player tried to sell me a bill of goods and wouldnt back down. The intermission replay demonstrated he had flat out lied to me and I told him as much. The players response, "You cant blame me for trying, can you?" That player learned that trust is earned and not freely gifted! The modern game is very fast and often played with an incredible intensity by phenomenally skilled athletes. If, as a spectator, you had the good fortune to sit at ice level you will understand what Im talking about. The game takes on a very different perspective the farther away you are removed from the action. Things happen very quickly on the ice and in a blink of an eye something can easily be missed. "Instant replay" isnt now just a luxury enjoyed by home viewers watching the broadcast, but plays and calls are seen on the Jumbotron that hangs over the officials head at centre ice. This instant feedback intensifies the desire and pressure for the officials to be "perfect." While it isnt part of standard operating procedure, the honest fact is that on rare occasions the score clock has allowed a member of the officiating crew to sneak a peek at a replay when a group conference is being conducted in the interest of getting the call right. So Jeff, with all the pressure on the officials to make the correct call, it only stands to reason that they would want to verify their call through a second look during the intermission break. A headset call can also be made to the video review official in the arena during a commercial stoppage to provide feedback on a play if the information the referee desires is really pressing. Regardless of the validity of a call, once its made there is no changing it. The feedback can bring about some peace of mind or closure and can even eliminate the potential for head games. If the official learns he was wrong the best course of action is to admit the error, apologize and move on as quickly as possible in his ongoing attempt to be "perfect." ' ' '