Hamilton homers in rehab for Frisco

Hamilton homered and finished 2-for-4 in his first rehab start for Double-A Frisco slipped by Midland, 8-7. It was his first Texas League game since 2009.

Hamilton suffered a fractured humerus in a play at the plate in the Rangers' 5-4 loss to the Tigers on April 12. At the time, the reigning American League MVP was batting .333 with seven RBIs in 11 games. The former No. 1 pick started Wednesday's game as the RoughRiders' designated hitter and is expected to serve in the same capacity Thursday. He's scheduled to join Triple-A Round Rock for three games after that.

Hamilton grounded out in the first inning -- his first at-bat in Frisco since June 29, 2009, when he went 1-for-4 against Corpus Christi. Batting with a runner on first with two outs in the third, Hamilton launched a homer over the left-field wall on the first pitch. He added a single in the fifth before flying out to left in his final plate appearance in the seventh.

"My first at-bat, I was a little jumpy," Hamilton admitted. "I was a little nervous because I haven't hit in so long. I came in my second at-at, I got out in front of a two-seamer away a little bit. I still got through the ball, didn't pull off."

Hamilton reported no problems with his arm and that his timing at the plate was OK.

"I felt it more in my lower back and foot from standing in cleats for four hours," he said. "I've been running bases in cleats for a while, but just standing around is hard."

Batting behind Hamilton was another rehabbing Ranger, Nelson Cruz, who went 0-for-4 while playing right field. Cruz is working his way back from a strained right quadriceps muscle.

Jose Ruiz collected three hits, including a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth for the RoughRiders. Jose Felix was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and Renny Osuna raised his average to .320 with three hits.

Jermaine Mitchell finished a single shy of the cycle, drove in two runs and stole his eighth base for the RockHounds.