Beltre blasts three homers as Rangers rout Orioles

Texas Rangers batter Adrian Beltre hits a two-run single against the New York Yankees in the first inning of their MLB American League game at Yankee Stadium in New York, August 16, 2012.

(Reuters) - Texas slugger Adrian Beltre smashed three home runs in the Rangers' 12-3 rout of the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Beltre launched a homer in each of his first three at bats, connecting in the second inning and twice in the fourth where Texas batted around for nine runs.

Beltre, who now has 22 home runs this season, finished with five RBIs against Baltimore.

He also had two chances to become the 17th player in Major League Baseball to homer four times in one game but finished with a pair of groundouts.

Texas (72-51) maintained their five-game lead atop the American League West with the win.

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing by Peter Rutherford)