Eric Hinske hit a three-run homer for the Rays, who have won 16 of their last 17 home games and at 31-20 have the best record in the major leagues. Tampa Bay is just the second team - joining the 1903 New York Giants - to have the best mark on Memorial Day after finishing with the worst record in the big leagues the previous season (66-96).
Even though Tampa Bay is 11 games over .500 for the first time, the Rays drew an announced crowd of just 12,174 for the holiday game.
Kazmir (4-1) retired his first 10 batters, seven on strikeouts, before Michael Young singled to center with one out in the fourth. Kazmir allowed one run and three hits, striking out the side in the first and third innings. He has given up two runs in 26 innings during his winning streak.
Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton, taken by the Rays with the first overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft, went 0-for-4 in his first game at Tropicana Field. Hamilton - the AL leader in hits and RBI - is in his second major league season after overcoming injuries and addictions to cocaine and alcohol that kept him off the field from 2003-05.
When he was introduced, Hamilton received a standing ovation and a few boos.
Sidney Ponson (3-1) gave up five runs and 12 hits in five innings for Texas, which is 19-11 since April 25. Ian Kinsler had three RBI, including a two-run homer in the ninth.
Run-scoring singles by Carlos Pena in the first and B.J. Upton in the fourth put the Rays ahead 2-0, and Hinske homered in the fifth.
Tampa Bay had at least two hits in each of the first six innings and went 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position during that stretch. Dioner Navarro hit an RBI double in the sixth, and Upton had a sacrifice fly one inning later.
Kinsler had a sixth-inning sacrifice fly and added a two-run shot in the ninth against Gary Glover.
