its all football." On the field, Dareus returned to his

ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Kevin Kouzmanoff was riding the buses in Double-A two seasons ago, he kept his focus on returning to the majors and providing the kind of production that he is now delivering for the Texas Rangers. "You never know what can happen in baseball," Kouzmanoff said after helping the Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 8-6 Thursday. "Here I am. Its great to be back." Kouzmanoff hit two doubles and scored twice. Texas lost the opener of the four-game series on Monday night, but won the last three. The 32-year-old Kouzmanoff is hitting .414 since being promoted from Triple-A Round Rock on April 9 after starting third baseman Adrian Beltre strained his left quadriceps. Kouzmanoff has hit in all eight games in which he has played, beginning with a pinch-hitting appearance followed by seven straight starts. Beltre was put on the 15-day disabled list Sunday. Shin-Soo Choo homered for Texas and J.P. Arencibia had a pair of RBI groundouts. Robinson Cano hit his first homer for the Mariners, going back-to-back with Corey Hart. Cano is in a 3-for-18 slump. The Rangers broke a 6-all tie in the fifth inning when Arencibia drove in a run with a grounder and Mitch Moreland scored on a wild pitch by Joe Beimel (0-1). Pedro Figueroa (2-1) was the second of five Texas relievers who held Seattle scoreless. He earned his second victory in less than 24 hours -- he was Wednesday nights winner when the Rangers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 victory. Kouzmanoff was a major league regular from 2007-11 for three clubs before spending the past two seasons in the minor league systems of Kansas City and Miami. He signed a minor league contract with Texas in December and hit .370 during spring training. Kouzmanoff was the Rangers last cut in spring training and sent to Round Rock when the club decided to complete its opening day roster with more middle-infield help because second baseman Jurickson Profar began the season on the disabled list. "Im not the player that Beltre is. Hes an unbelievable player," Kouzmanoff said. "We all have to do things that are us." Asked the source of his hot streak, he said, "Eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast." Texas Tanner Scheppers, in his first season as a big league starter, made the shortest of his four starts and was victimized by the big inning for the third time. He took the mound with a 4-0 lead and then gave up six runs in the third while recording just one out. "It doesnt feel good," said Scheppers, the Rangers eighth-inning setup man for most of last season. "Luckily, the bullpen picked me up. The offence went out and scored runs. You cant ask for any more than that." Scheppers said he wasnt worried about being sent back to the bullpen. Rangers manager Ron Washington echoed that sentiment. "Its nothing that has crossed my mind," Washington said. "We know its a work in progress." The Rangers made it 6-all by chasing Mariners starter Erasmo Ramirez with two runs in the third. In his last three starts, Ramirez has lasted no more than five innings and allowed 13 earned runs and 18 hits. Hart reached base four times, with a double and two walks in addition to his team-leading fourth homer. He played right field for his first outfield appearance since July 2012. "Down 4-0 at one point and to battle back and take the lead, we definitely have fight in this team," Hart said. NOTES: Rangers LHP Matt Harrison, on the disabled list with back stiffness following two surgeries last year, is scheduled to make a rehab start on Saturday for Double-A Frisco. ... Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said he hasnt decided who will start Sundays series finale at Miami. 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Ilkay Gundogan Jersey .com) - Former FBI director Robert Mueller said his investigation found no evidence that the NFL saw the elevator video of Ray Rice striking his then-fiancee before the tape was released in September. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams had a few cautionary words of advice for Marcell Dareus, in welcoming his teammate back to practice Tuesday. Its time, Williams said, Dareus realized he has put his young and promising career in jeopardy after being charged in two separate arrests last month involving drug possession and a car accident. "Im hoping that this is kind of a watershed moment for him, because hes at a pivotal point," Williams said after Dareus reported for the start of the Bills three-day mandatory minicamp. "Hopefully, its to a point where its kind of an epiphany, and he comes alive and turns the corner and does his best." Williams, a team captain, is taking a tough-love approach with Dareus, a player hes spent the past three years mentoring. "I think hes heard (advice) from a lot of different levels, whether it be from his teammates or coaches, and Im sure the front office," Williams said. "So if you cant get it from those three levels, maybe youre not going to get it." Dareus, the Bills 2011 first-round draft pick, returned to practice for the first time since he and coach Doug Marrone agreed that the player take two weeks off to sort out his legal problems. Its unclear what Dareus has been doing during his time away. The Bills announced before practice that Dareus will not be made available to reporters this week so that he can focus solely on football. Dareus was escorted off the field by a team official following practice. Hes been off since May 30. Thats when shortly after participating in a voluntary practice, Dareus crashed his 2012 Jaguar into a tree near a busy suburban Buffalo intersection after allegedly racing teammate Jerry Hughes. Dareus was charged with reckless endangerment and ticketed for several traffic violations, including drag-racing. Dareus was scheduled to appear at Hamburg Town court on Tuesday, but that was pushed back to July 1 in part so that he didnt miss practice. Four weeks earlier, Dareus was arrested in his native Alabama and charged with possession of synthetic marijuana aand drug paraphernalia.dddddddddddd Rod Giddens, the attorney representing Dareus in Alabama, said hes still awaiting word from prosecutors as to whether theyll accept a plea deal in which Dareus entered a pre-trial intervention program to have the charges reduced or dismissed. Dareus troubles actually come from the end of last season when he was benched during each of the Bills final two games because he was late for team meetings. General manager Doug Whaley intends to meet with Dareus following the Bills final practice on Thursday, when the team takes a month before opening training camp July 20. "Ill just have a little sit-down with him when we leave, so everybodys on the same page," Whaley told The Associated Press. "The thing right now is hes back focused straight on football. Its great that hes back. And I think he thrives in a situation like this where its all football." On the field, Dareus returned to his familiar starting spot alongside Williams. In one team drill during the non-contact practice, Dareus showed off his power and speed by bullying past guard Kraig Urbik to break up a potential pass. On the next play, Dareus spun off Urbiks block and filled the hole to stop a run. Coach Marrone has stuck by Dareus, while expressing disappointment in saying the player has made "some poor decisions." "I just want to make sure that Im clear that everyone understands that I believe in Marcell, and I will do everything I can to make sure that we can get him on the right track," Marrone said two weeks ago. "Im going to do everything I can to help a 24-year-old man make better decisions." NOTES: LB Manny Lawson and DL Alan Branch reported for the mandatory minicamp after both skipped the teams voluntary sessions this off-season. Lawson said he found it important to take time off from football and be with his family. ... TE Scott Chandler was excused from practice for personal reasons. Starting LT Cordy Glenn was absent due to an illness. ... Rookie OT Seantrel Henderson missed practice due to travel delays. ' ' '