Astros use eight-run inning to beat Rangers
The Sports Xchange
Sep 26, 2017
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Houston Astros took advantage of a mistake-riddled inning to all but close the door on the Texas Rangers' fading playoff hopes with an 11-2 romp Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Globe Life Park.
The Rangers (76-80) lost their fourth consecutive game and dropped six games behind Minnesota (82-74) with six games to play in the race for the second American League wild-card berth. One loss by the Rangers or one Twins win eliminates Texas.
American League West champion Houston (96-60) moved within two games of Cleveland (98-58) for the best record in the league.
Marwin Gonzalez and Evan Gattis each had two hits and drove in two runs in the Astros' eight-run fourth inning. Houston sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame.
Gonzalez added his 23rd homer in the sixth inning and finished 4-for-5.
Texas starter Andrew Casher (10-11) fell victim to a few bad breaks in the fourth. Seven runs were unearned due to two errors, but Cashner didn't do himself any favors with two walks and a hit batter in the inning.
The seven unearned runs tied a Texas club record for an inning done four times and also matched the most in the majors this season.
Houston starter Collin McHugh improved to 4-2 after going five innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. The righty stuck out six and walked three.
Four relievers each worked a scoreless inning for the Astros.
Joey Gallo gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the second with a towering opposite-field home run to left-center off McHugh. Gallo's 39th long ball was only his third this month.
The benches cleared one batter later with Carlos Gomez at bat. Gomez had just replaced his bat after slamming it on home plate, and McHugh appeared to quick-pitch him.
Words followed as players from both dugouts and bullpens spilled out onto the field. No punches were thrown, and warnings were issued by plate umpire Paul Nauert to both sides.
Texas went up 2-0 in the third on Adrian Beltre's RBI single, which scored Elvis Andrus.
Houston went ahead 8-2 in the fourth, though Cashner should have escaped the inning with the lead intact.
Alex Bregman's sacrifice fly got the scoring going before a two-out, bases-loaded error by Andrus scored a second run and kept the inning alive. The shortstop failed to field George Springer's slow bouncer up the middle.
A walk forced in another run, and an error by third baseman Will Middlebrooks on a deep chopper by Carlos Correa plated a fourth run. Cashner was done after Gonzalez's subsequent two-run single to center.
Gattis greeted reliever Paolo Espino with his second hit of the inning, a double into the left field corner that scored two more.
NOTES: Texas manager Jeff Banister returned to the club after missing two games to be with his mother, who was dealing with complications from surgery. Banister said she is doing better. ... Houston improved to 10-7 against Texas to clinch the season series and win the "Silver Boot" trophy. ... Texas has three players 23 or younger with at least 20 home runs -- INF Joey Gallo (39), 2B Rougned Odor (30) and OF Nomar Mazara (20) -- which ties a major league record. ... Houston's 96 wins are tied with the 1986 club for the third most in franchise history.
Sep 26, 2017
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Houston Astros took advantage of a mistake-riddled inning to all but close the door on the Texas Rangers' fading playoff hopes with an 11-2 romp Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Globe Life Park.
The Rangers (76-80) lost their fourth consecutive game and dropped six games behind Minnesota (82-74) with six games to play in the race for the second American League wild-card berth. One loss by the Rangers or one Twins win eliminates Texas.
American League West champion Houston (96-60) moved within two games of Cleveland (98-58) for the best record in the league.
Marwin Gonzalez and Evan Gattis each had two hits and drove in two runs in the Astros' eight-run fourth inning. Houston sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame.
Gonzalez added his 23rd homer in the sixth inning and finished 4-for-5.
Texas starter Andrew Casher (10-11) fell victim to a few bad breaks in the fourth. Seven runs were unearned due to two errors, but Cashner didn't do himself any favors with two walks and a hit batter in the inning.
The seven unearned runs tied a Texas club record for an inning done four times and also matched the most in the majors this season.
Houston starter Collin McHugh improved to 4-2 after going five innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. The righty stuck out six and walked three.
Four relievers each worked a scoreless inning for the Astros.
Joey Gallo gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the second with a towering opposite-field home run to left-center off McHugh. Gallo's 39th long ball was only his third this month.
The benches cleared one batter later with Carlos Gomez at bat. Gomez had just replaced his bat after slamming it on home plate, and McHugh appeared to quick-pitch him.
Words followed as players from both dugouts and bullpens spilled out onto the field. No punches were thrown, and warnings were issued by plate umpire Paul Nauert to both sides.
Texas went up 2-0 in the third on Adrian Beltre's RBI single, which scored Elvis Andrus.
Houston went ahead 8-2 in the fourth, though Cashner should have escaped the inning with the lead intact.
Alex Bregman's sacrifice fly got the scoring going before a two-out, bases-loaded error by Andrus scored a second run and kept the inning alive. The shortstop failed to field George Springer's slow bouncer up the middle.
A walk forced in another run, and an error by third baseman Will Middlebrooks on a deep chopper by Carlos Correa plated a fourth run. Cashner was done after Gonzalez's subsequent two-run single to center.
Gattis greeted reliever Paolo Espino with his second hit of the inning, a double into the left field corner that scored two more.
NOTES: Texas manager Jeff Banister returned to the club after missing two games to be with his mother, who was dealing with complications from surgery. Banister said she is doing better. ... Houston improved to 10-7 against Texas to clinch the season series and win the "Silver Boot" trophy. ... Texas has three players 23 or younger with at least 20 home runs -- INF Joey Gallo (39), 2B Rougned Odor (30) and OF Nomar Mazara (20) -- which ties a major league record. ... Houston's 96 wins are tied with the 1986 club for the third most in franchise history.
