Thames hits game-ending homer as Brewers beat Rangers 6-5

   MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Eric Thames hit a game-ending homer to lift the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night after Josh Hader blew a save opportunity for the fourth time this season.

   Milwaukee opened a 5-2 lead with three runs in the seventh, but Logan Forsythe hit a two-run homer off newly acquired reliever Jake Faria in the eighth and Elvis Andrus' solo shot off Hader tied it at 5 with one out in the ninth.

   Hader (2-5) threw a season-high 44 pitches in 1 2/3 innings.

   Enter Thames, who hit his 16th homer against Emmanuel Clase (0-1) with two out in the ninth. Thames was mobbed by his teammates at the plate after ending a game that lasted more than 4 hours.

   Milwaukee earned its fourth straight win and moved within 2 1/2 games of NL Central-leading Chicago, which lost 5-2 at Cincinnati.