Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Ian Kinsler went 3-for-4, homered and scored three runs, and the Texas Rangers barely avoided a ninth-inning disaster to edge the struggling Philadelphia Phillies, 8-7, in the opener of a three-game series at Rangers Ballpark.

Milton Bradley homered and Josh Hamilton knocked in a pair of runs for the Rangers, who have won four of six. Chris Davis hit his first major league homer, while Michael Young and David Murphy each collected a pair of hits as part of a 12-hit Texas attack.

Josh Rupe (3-1) tossed 2 1/3 shutout innings to earn the win in relief of Kason Gabbard, who was touched for six runs -- just one earned -- on four hits and five walks in 3 1/3 frames.

Pedro Feliz belted a grand slam for the Phillies, losers in eight of their last nine. Jayson Werth and Chris Coste each homered, while Pat Burrell doubled and scored a run.

Clay Condrey (1-1) allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings and lost in relief of struggling starter Brett Myers, who was torched for five runs on five hits in two-plus innings, walking four and striking out two.

After Hamilton's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth gave the Rangers an 8-6 lead heading into the ninth, C.J. Wilson immediately gave the run back when Werth led off by launching an 0-1 breaking ball into the Phillies bullpen in left center. Wilson retired the next two batters, but Burrell kept the Phils alive with a double down the line in right, then Ryan Howard smashed a line drive off shortstop Young's glove to move pinch-runner Geoff Jenkins to third.

But, Wilson got Greg Dobbs to ground out sharply to second to end the game and lock down his 17th save.

With the Rangers leading 1-0, on a home run by Kinsler, the offenses exploded in the third, with each team scoring five times.

The Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out, and tied the game when Eric Bruntlett scored on Jimmy Rollins' groundout. Burrell was intentionally walked to load the bases, and after Howard struck out, Feliz made the Phils first hit of the game count in a huge way, launching a 1-0 changeup over the wall in left for his fifth career grand slam.

Texas countered in the bottom half, as Kinsler started with a double, moved to third on Young's infield hit and scored when Hamilton singled off Myers' leg. Two straight walks forced in another run and chased Myers in favor of Condrey. The reliever induced Marlon Byrd into a 5-4-3 double play, but Hamilton scored on the play and on the very next pitch, Davis connected on his first homer, a two-run blast to left that gave the Rangers a 6-5 lead.

Chris Coste tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a lead-off shot to left.

But, Bradley put the Rangers in front for good in the fifth, slamming a pitch from Condrey high off the foul pole in right. Hamilton's sacrifice fly off Rudy Seanez plated Kinsler with an insurance run in the eighth.