ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nelson Cruz turned to a gaggle of his teammates before the 10th inning and made a prediction.

"I told them I was going to do something special that inning," Cruz said. "I just knew it."

That's why as soon as Cruz pounded a 1-1 slider off A's reliever Michael Wuertz, he turned and pointed at the dugout. He didn't even bother to look to left field.

"I knew it was gone," Cruz said.

It's that kind of confidence that has infected this team. Despite wasting some good chances in the game, especially late, the Rangers managed to get the big hit at a critical time to win the game.

"We always talk about improving and finding ways to get better," Micheal Young said. "We did that."

The MVP of Tuesday's win was Cliff Lee, who struck out a career-high 13 batters and went nine innings, even talking his manager out of pulling him with two outs in the ninth. He located his fastball well, kept hitters off-balance and made sure his team stayed in the game. More on Lee and the Rangers' confidence in my column here.

But Cruz played a big role. He made a leaping catch to take a home run away from Kevin Kouzmanoff in the sixth to keep the score tied. And he came through, as he knew he would, with the homer in the 10th.

"I've felt better at the plate," said Cruz, who slumped coming off the disabled list, but has picked it up since the second half began. "My timing is there and I'm hitting better when it's there."

Other reaction:

* Washington said it was Ian Kinsler that was supposed to cover the bag on the throw by Bengie Molina that went into center field (it was a really good throw that nearly hit the bag, but no one was there). Usually with a right-handed hitter up, the second baseman covers the bag. Kinsler was charged with the error after the game.

* Vladimir Guerrero snapped a nine-game RBI drought with a run-scoring double in the first inning. It was the Rangers' only run of the game until Cruz's homer.

* Kinsler had a green light on a 3-0 pitch with two outs and two on in the ninth and fouled out to first base. Washington had no problem with Kinsler swinging, saying that he knew to expect a fastball and that he just missed the pitch. But if your No. 3 hitter is up in that situation and likes the pitch, he should swing at it. Kinsler is only the second player in the majors this season with a foul popup on a 3-0 count in the seventh inning or later, according to Elias Sports Bureau (by way of ESPN Stats & Information). The only other one: Albert Pujols popped up to the catcher on a 3-0 count in a tie game in the seventh with the bases loaded against Arizona in April. The Cardinals went on to win the game.

* Washington said Tuesday was the first time this season he went to the mound and did not make a pitching change. Lee talked him out of it. The last time Washington remembers not making a switch was one time with Kevin Millwood on the mound.