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Rangers hit three HRs in win over Astros

Jun 29, 2011 - 7:42 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Ian Kinsler went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a triple to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series between the intrastate rivals at Minute Maid Park.

Josh Hamilton and Mitch Moreland also blasted solo home runs while Yorvit Torrealba added an RBI double for the Rangers, who have won six of their past 10 contests.

C.J. Wilson (8-3) worked seven strong innings to earn the win, giving up a pair of runs on seven hits while fanning three and walking two. In addition to his work on the mound, Wilson also ripped a triple. He's 4-0 over his last seven starts and hasn't lost since May 20 at Philadelphia.

Michael Bourn had a pair of hits, including a triple, for the Astros, who have lost four games in a row and seven of their last eight.

Jordan Lyles (0-3) worked six innings in defeat for Houston, giving up five runs on 10 hits.

"It just didn't fall my way tonight," Lyles said. "I don't know what the ball- strike ratio was tonight, but it couldn't have been good."

Lyles threw 68 of his 109 pitches for strikes.

Neftali Feliz came on with two outs in the ninth to pick up his 15th save of the season.

Texas took the lead for good in the third. Wilson led off with a triple to deep center and scored on an RBI groundout by Kinsler. After an Andres Blanco flyout, Hamilton blasted a pitch from Lyles into the seats in left to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead. Texas added another run on an RBI single by Nelson Cruz to extend the lead to 3-1.

"Any time the pitcher gets a hit, especially in interleague play for an American League team, you can see the enthusiasm (from the rest of the team)," said Hamilton.

Houston threatened in the fifth, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Wilson battled back to fan Lyles and induced a 5-4-3 double play from Jason Bourgeois to escape the jam unscathed.

Texas struck for two more runs in the sixth. Moreland laced a single to left and scored on an RBI double by Torrealba. After Wilson grounded out, Kinsler stepped ripped a triple to deep center to score Torrealba for a 5-1 Texas lead.

Houston got a run back in the sixth. Bourn led off with a triple to deep center and was chased home on an RBI single by Hunter Pence to cut the deficit to 5-2.

The Rangers added another run in the eighth on Moreland's blast to left, his 11th of the season.

Kinsler tacked on a seventh run in the ninth inning with a leadoff homer to left for his ninth homer of the season.

Houston plated a run in the ninth when Clint Barmes roped a ground-rule double to right and scored on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Brett Wallace.

Earlier, Houston drew first blood in its first at-bat. Bourn reached on a bunt single, stole second and advanced to third on a Wilson wild pitch. Bourn crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Lee to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

Game Notes

Texas is 7-0 over the past three seasons at Minute Maid Park...After winning five straight to open the month of June, Texas has gone just 8-12...Rangers first baseman Michael Young was 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 13 games...Astros manager Brad Mills was ejected in the sixth inning by third base umpire Jerry Layne.