Vladimir Guerrero drove in three runs as the Texas Rangers rallied from an early deficit with a seven-run fourth inning for a 9-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.

Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton each homered and Michael Young drove in a pair of runs for Texas, who had dropped five of seven coming in.

Trailing 4-0, the Rangers scored a pair of runs in the second on a two-run home run from Smoak. Then in the fourth, the Rangers scored seven runs on seven hits after sending 11 batters to the plate.

Hamilton opened the inning with a solo home run, followed by RBI hits from Elvis Andrus, Young and Guerrero.

Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis (5-5) didn’t make it through the fourth inning, leaving after 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on nine hits with a hit batter and three strikeouts.

Rangers starter C.J. Wilson (4-3) got into trouble in the second inning, needing 42 pitches to get through it. The Rays tagged him for four runs on three hits, but Wilson regrouped and went five-plus innings, allowing five runs - three earned - on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

Carl Crawford had two RBIs and Carlos Pena and Sean Rodriguez each brought in a run as the Rays snapped a brief two-game winning streak.

Texas manager Ron Washington was ejected in the eighth inning by second base umpire Chris Guccione. Julio Borbon tried to steal second base, but Guccione called him out and Washington believed Borbon was safe. It was Washington’s third ejection this season.