ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers have at least put themselves back in the conversation for an American League wild-card spot with a simple baseball recipe.

Good pitching, good defense and timely hitting after flooding the field with baserunners.

That was how they finished off a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers in a 12-6 victory on Wednesday night.

Texas (59-60) moved within a game of .500 and two games back of the second wild-card playoff berth with 43 games to play.

Elvis Andrus had a home run and four RBIs, and Nomar Mazara added a homer and three RBIs. Andrus' 16th home run of the season in the fifth inning produced the go-ahead run, and his two-run single through a drawn-in infield was the key hit in Texas' four-run sixth.

The Rangers shortstop was 3-for-5 with a walk, a stolen base and three runs. He drove in his fourth run with a base hit in the seventh.

Mazara, the Texas right fielder who has 20 RBIs in his past 18 games, was 3-for-5. He hit a two-run homer off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez in the second and an RBI single in the sixth for the Rangers, who have won six of seven.

In the sweep, Texas scored 28 runs on 39 hits and 55 baserunners, including 25 on Wednesday.

Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels (8-1) improved to 6-0 this season at home, giving up four runs, eight hits and five walks in six innings. He struck out two and yielded two home runs, including a leadoff homer to Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler, who quickly ended Hamels' consecutive scoreless inning streak at 11.

"It'd be tough to point to just one thing," Banister said of the key to the team's good run. "It's been the number of baserunners we continue to have. The double-digit baserunners have allowed us to do some things that we're used to doing: run the bases, steal bases, create, and obviously the home run shows up for us in certain situations.

"It's been the pitching. Cole didn't have his best stuff tonight, but he battled through tonight. But I think it's the combination of all things. The defense we've played, the pitching we've gotten and the offense has really showed up for us."

Hamels is 16-2 in his career at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Detroit left-handed reliever Chad Bell (0-1), who gave up the homer to Andrus, took the loss. Bell allowed the one run, three hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings.

The Tigers used eight pitchers, and they issued seven walks and surrendered 17 hits.

Detroit (53-67) has lost 10 of its past 12 and is 14 games below .500 heading into a home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that starts Friday. The Tigers fell to 24-39 on the road, the third-worst road record in the American League.

"Pretty plain and simple, it didn't go well," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "Didn't pitch well. Home runs and walks are not a good combination. We're giving up too many of both."

Adrian Beltre had a two-run homer in the third on an 0-2 pitch from Sanchez to tie the game at 4-all -- the 458th of his career, one back of Detroit's Miguel Cabrera for 37th all-time -- and Joey Gallo hit his 35th for Texas. Shin-Soo Choo also had an RBI.

"I think everybody's doing their job, we're having really good at-bats, nobody's taking anything for granted, and no matter if it's two outs, we still believe we can have a rally and score runs," Andrus said. "That's our DNA that we need to keep the rest of the season, and hopefully the beginning of something good."

Hamels wasn't his sharpest, allowing baserunners in every inning except the fourth.

With the score tied in the fifth, Hamels worked out of a bases-loaded jam with one out, striking out John Hicks and inducing a popout from Nicholas Castellanos. Texas second baseman Rougned Odor sprinted out to short right field to make a nice over-the-shoulder catch.

Detroit center fielder Mikie Mahtook had a two-run homer in the third. Mahtook is hitting .342 with five home runs and 14 RBIs since the All-Star break. Kinsler's leadoff home run was the 46th of his career, tied for fourth all time with Jimmy Rollins.

Cabrera was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks, one an intentional pass by Hamels in the fifth.

Sanchez left the game in the third inning with left hamstring tightness. He gave up four runs and five hits, including two home runs, and a walk in 2 1/3 innings.

Texas' four-run sixth typified Detroit's recent struggles. The Tigers were plagued by two errors and a hit by pitch in the inning.

Reliever Joe Jimenez's line was three runs (two earned), one hit and a hit batter in one-third of an inning.

"It was a rough one," Kinsler said. "It was a rough series for us. Offensively we continued to try to battle to get back in, but it just wasn't happening, and every time we scored, they had an answer. They played three good games."

NOTES: Detroit's Ian Kinsler and umpire Angel Hernandez shook hands as the second baseman took his position. Kinsler, who was ejected from Monday's game by Hernandez, lashed out at the umpire on Tuesday, saying, among other things, that "he needs to find another job." ... Texas officials were more specific with what has kept OF Carlos Gomez out of the lineup. Gomez had an infected cyst removed from his back. He was out of the lineup a third straight game, but he was available. ... Texas LHP Jake Diekman, out all season after three surgeries on his colon, will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Thursday. He is slated to throw 15 pitches.