Final
Rangers, Astros resume Texas series
May 11, 2013 - 2:46 PM (Sports Network) - Two teams on opposite sides of the Lone Star State and the AL West will meet in the second of a three-game set on Saturday when the Texas Rangers take on the Houston Astros.As might be expected in the first game of the series on Friday night, the division-leading Rangers came out on top, 4-2, against the last-place Astros. At 10-26 the Astros are in sole possession of the worst record in the majors and have lost eight of their last 10.
The two teams were tied 2-2 in the seventh inning when Jeff Baker smacked his fourth home run of the season to put the Rangers ahead for good. David Murphy added a home run in the ninth inning for some insurance for the Rangers, who have won back-to-back games after a two-game slide.
Alexi Ogando got the start for the Rangers but did not factor in the decision while pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs. Robbie Ross got the win for the Rangers with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless work while Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 10th save of the season.
Dallas Keuchel had a quality start for Houston with six innings of work in which he scattered five hits and a pair of earned runs. Wesley Wright came in for Keuchel in the seventh inning and let up Baker's home run to take the loss.
Marwin Gonzalez went 2-for-4 from the nine-hole for the Astros, who had their top four batters go a combined 1-for-16.
If the Astros hope to pick up a win on Saturday they won't have an easy go of it as Rangers ace Yu Darvish will get the start. Last time they saw Darvish, the right-hander came within an out of a perfect game as he pitched 8 2/3 innings before giving up a hit for his first base runner. Darvish is also 2-0 with an ERA of 1.08 in his brief career against Houston.
Darvish has really started to capture the promise that earned him the six-year $56 million contract he signed with Texas a year ago. Darvish is 5-1 through the first seven starts of this season with an ERA of 2.56 to go along with a major-league leading 72 strikeouts.
Darvish had his first no-decision against Boston last Sunday when he allowed three runs over seven innings. However, the Rangers still got the win in the contest, making them 6-1 in starts by Darvish. The right-hander also tied a season-high with 14 strikeouts in the contest -- the fourth time this season he has reached at least 10 punchouts.
Getting the task of butting heads with Darvish is Astros veteran left-hander Erik Bedard. The 10-year journeyman was brought in to bring veteran leadership to the Astros' rotation but Bedard has not done so. At 0-2 with an ERA of 7.36, the lefty really needs to turn it around.
Bedard went just 3 1/3 innings in his last outing which came in relief in a 9-0 loss to Detroit last Sunday. In his last start, Bedard gave up four runs on six hits in four innings of work. The four innings matched a season-high for Bedard.
In his 10-year career, Bedard has faced Texas 16 times with 15 starts. In that time he is 5-4 with an ERA of 3.36. This season Bedard came out of the bullpen in his only outing against the Rangers when he pitched 3 1/3 innings of shutout baseball to pick up his first career save.
Though the Astros won that contest 8-2 against the Rangers on opening night, they lost the next two games by a combined score of 11-0.
- TEXAS: 8
HOUSTON: 7
Final
May 11 10:33 PM - Marwin Gonzalez sacrifice fly to left scored Trevor Crowe with two out. None on and Robbie Grossman due up.
Rangers 8, Astros 7 Bot 9, 2 OutsMay 11 10:30 PM - Carlos Pena scored on Joe Nathan's wild pitch with none out. On the play, Trevor Crowe advances to third. Runner on third and Matt Dominguez at the plate.
Rangers 8, Astros 6 Bot 9, 0 OutsMay 11 10:29 PM - Trevor Crowe single to center scored Carlos Corporan with none out. On the play, Carlos Pena advances to third. Runners on first and third and Matt Dominguez due up.
Rangers 8, Astros 5 Bot 9, 0 OutsMay 11 10:24 PM - Jose Altuve sacrifice fly to right scored Robbie Grossman with two out. None on and Jason Castro due up.
Rangers 8, Astros 4 Bot 8, 2 OutsMay 11 10:00 PM - Lance Berkman lead-off Home Run (3) to left. Adrian Beltre due up.
Rangers 8, Astros 3 Top 7, 0 OutsMay 11 9:27 PM - Elvis Andrus single to center scored Leonys Martin with two out. Runner on first and Lance Berkman due up.
Rangers 7, Astros 3 Top 6, 2 OutsMay 11 9:13 PM - Pinch-Hitter Leonys Martin triple to center scored David Murphy and Geovany Soto with one out. Runner on third and Ian Kinsler due up.
Rangers 6, Astros 3 Top 6, 1 OutMay 11 9:09 PM - Pinch-Hitter David Murphy ground ruled double to left scored Mitch Moreland with one out. Runner on second with one out and Geovany Soto due up.
Rangers 4, Astros 3 Top 6, 1 OutMay 11 9:05 PM - Nelson Cruz one-out, two-run Home Run (9) to center scored Lance Berkman. Mitch Moreland due up.
Rangers 3, Astros 3 Top 6, 1 OutMay 11 8:59 PM - Matt Dominguez one-out, two-run Home Run 2 (2) to left scored Carlos Pena. Marwin Gonzalez due up.
Rangers 1, Astros 3 Bot 5, 1 OutMay 11 8:43 PM - Matt Dominguez one-out, solo Home Run (1) to left. Marwin Gonzalez due up.
Rangers 1, Astros 1 Bot 3, 1 OutMay 11 7:53 PM - Adrian Beltre lead-off Home Run (7) to left. Nelson Cruz due up.
Rangers 1, Astros 0 Top 2, 0 OutsMay 11 7:22 PM - TEXAS: 0
HOUSTON: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
May 11 7:11 PM
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