ARLINGTON -- When the Rangers changed hitting coaches in the offseason, manager Jeff Banister had moments such as the sixth inning on Thursday night in mind.

The Rangers had three chances with a runner at third and fewer than two outs in a span of four at-bats. They converted each chance by putting the ball in play, leading to five runs and a 6-3 comeback victory against Baltimore at Globe Life Park.

"We wanted to have a mindset of how to capitalize on those type of innings, how we come back when we're down," Banister said. "Know that singles and doubles are good also. When you rely solely on the big swing, some of these guys can give you trouble."

The eruption bailed out starter Cole Hamels, who lasted 5 1/3 innings in his shortest start with the club. The Rangers have won Hamels' last 13 regular season starts.

A year ago, with Dave Magadan as hitting coach, the Rangers had a 55 percent conversion rate with runners at third and fewer than two outs -- a good percentage, but Banister thought the club could have done more with its scoring chances.

As former Cowboys running back Joseph Randle would say, the Rangers "left meat on the bone."

Enter Anthony Iapoce as hitting coach in the majors for the first time, with Justin Mashore as the assistant. Their approach to run-scoring situations -- make contact and forget about the home-run swing -- is gradually taking hold. The Rangers have converted 14-of-24 chances with a runner at third and fewer than two outs.

"It's a constant grind that this team has shown," Iapoce said. "This team isn't giving at-bats away. They're not giving in."

The outburst, all with one out, went like this:

With rookie Nomar Mazara at third, Mitch Moreland flared an opposite-field double down the left-field line.

With Adrian Beltre at third, Ian Desmond drove in the run with an infield single.

Rougned Odor scored two runs with an opposite-field double to left.

Witih Odor at third, Elvis Andrus grounded a single up the middle.

No one tried to pull the ball. Moreland and Odor each used the opposite field. Not every hit was well struck, but the runs counted.

Of the hits, Desmond's carried the most significance. He was hitless in his previous 18 at-bats. The sense of relief was tangible.

"You're trying to push runs across the board," Desmond said. "In a perfect world, it's prettier than that. ... I felt like I was in a much better position than I have been. I felt like spring training."

The Rangers had a chance in the sixth because reliever Tom Wilhelmsen proved the value of having a reliever with closer's experience available for middle-innings work.

Hamels had difficulty throughout getting the ball down and allowed five extra-base hits. He worked out of a tight spot in the fifth, keeping the Orioles from scoring after they put runners at second and third with none out.

A similar situation arose in the sixth, and Banister pulled Hamels after he allowed J.J. Hardy's run-scoring single that gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead. Wilhelmsen, who had not appeared in the previous five games, inherited runners at first and third with one out.

In the new lexicon, this is a high-leverage situation. Wilhelmsen's experience as a closer with Seattle taught him how to handle these moments, mentally and physically.

Wilhelmsen threw two sliders, his best pitch, to Jonathan Schoop. He beat the second one into the ground for an inning-ending double play.

"He's a guy you know has been in those situations before," Banister said. "He has the stuff and the mental capacity to know how to work out of those situations. As we put the bullpen together, we knew we would need those type of pitchers."

The new-look Rangers were on display in the sixth inning.