ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- The Texas Rangers, who face a long climb to rejoin the AL West race, have at least reached their first milestone: to get back to .500.

Rafael Palmeiro and David Segui homered, and Rick Helling pitched seven strong innings as the Rangers beat the San Diego Padres 8-1 Saturday night for their fifth straight victory.

	Helling

Helling (10-7) allowed just one run and three hits to help the Rangers move to .500 (42-42) for the first time since June 10. He struck out seven and walked four.

Helling has won his last three starts, a streak that has coincided with the Rangers' improved play. Helling had lost his six previous starts while the team faded. Texas lost nine straight during one stretch.

"Rick won a lot of our games (while the team was hot) in May," Oates said. "When you have a good streak, you can point to your starting pitching. Your offense can't do it every night."

Segui, who drove in the game-winner with a 10th-inning single in Friday night's 5-4 victory over the Padres, had three hits and two RBI.

Palmeiro's two-run blast in the seventh extended the Rangers' lead to 8-1. Luis Alicea also had three hits and reached base four times for the Rangers, winners of eight of their last 10.

The slumping Padres have lost six of their last seven.

The Rangers got first-inning RBI singles off rookie Adam Eaton (1-1) from Palmeiro and Segui. Eaton walked Luis Alicea and Dave Martinez to lead off the game, and both came around to score.

Texas made it 4-0 in the second on consecutive triples by Alicea and Martinez, and Rusty Greer's run-scoring double.

Segui led off the third with a homer to make it 5-0.

Helling said any starter can feel at ease when he's pitching with a big early lead.

"It allows you to be more aggressive," Helling said. "You know one pitch or one hitter isn't going to cost you the game."

Palmeiro hopes the recent streak will end talk that management plans to deal several veterans before the trading deadline.

"Our season would have been a big disappointment and who knows what they would have done to the team," Palmeiro said.

San Diego broke through in the fifth on Kevin Nicholson's triple and Eric Owens' sacrifice fly.

Eaton, who had no-decisions in six straight starts, allowed five runs and 10 hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked three.

"I think the numbers speak for themselves," Eaton said. "It was not a very good game at all. I didn't come out throwing strikes. The will was there, but the pitches weren't. Everything came out high and you can't do that against this team."

Game notes
Palmeiro has 23 homers this season and 384 for his career, one behind Dwight Evans for 37th on the career list. ... Ivan Rodriguez wasn't in the Rangers' starting lineup. The All-Star catcher was rested by Oates. ... The Rangers' winning streak is their longest since a seven-game stretch in May. ... The Padres are 1-7 in interleague play this season. ... Texas has at least two doubles in each of its last 12 games.