Sosa hit the first pitch he saw from reliever J.C. Romero in the sixth inning into the left-center field seats for a two-run homer, the 589th of his career. The former NL MVP and seven-time All-Star pumped his right fist into the air as he rounded first base and crossed the plate to chants of "Sammy! Sammy!"

With the cheers getting louder, Sosa came out of the dugout for a curtain call, raising his helmet to the fans.

It was Sosa's first at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the 43rd different stadium where he has homered. That tied Ken Griffey Jr. and Fred McGriff for the most stadiums with a homer.

The last homer for Sosa was Aug. 4, 2005, a two-run shot at the Los Angeles Angels during his only season with the Baltimore Orioles.

Sosa's 409-foot drive came in a four-run outburst that put the Rangers up 8-3 right after Kevin Millwood (1-1) escaped the top of the sixth with the tying run on third base.

Texas had gone ahead to stay with four runs in the third inning, when Sosa singled and scored the final run on a two-run single by Nelson Cruz off Julian Tavarez (0-1).

When Sosa was a rookie for the Rangers in 1989, they played in a different stadium and his only homer in 25 games was at Boston against Roger Clemens. Sosa was traded that season to the Chicago White Sox.