Rangers 3 - 4 Astros
Final
  for this game

Grossman powers Astros past Rangers

Aug 9, 2014 - 5:43 AM Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Robbie Grossman's two-run homer in the eighth inning helped the Houston Astros to a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday.

Jon Singleton opened the inning with a single to center off Neal Cotts (2-6). Matt Dominguez struck out before Grossman launched a shot out to left that put the hosts in front.

"I will give that an A-plus," Astros manager Bo Porter said of Grossman's long ball. "That's outstanding."

Gregorio Petit added an insurance run later in the frame with an RBI double to left.

Chad Qualls allowed a leadoff double to Adam Rosales in the ninth, then Leonys Martin flied out to the edge of the warning track for the first out of the inning.

Pinch-hitter Mike Carp followed with a single to left that plated Rosales and cut the deficit to 4-3. Rougned Odor kept the rally going with a single to left, but Daniel Robertson grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

"It was a tough ball game," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "They beat our best pitcher that we had in that situation. You have to give them credit."

Jose Veras (2-0) picked up the win for tossing a scoreless eighth inning, while Qualls notched his 13th save.

Both starters dueled in the early portion of the contest. Houston's Brett Oberholtzer went seven innings and allowed two runs on six hits in the no- decision.

Miles Mikolas surrendered one run on four hits and three walks in five innings for the Rangers.

Shin-Soo Choo opened the game with a single and scored two batters later on J.P. Arencibia's eighth home run of the year.

Mi kolas got the first two outs of the second before loading the bases with a walk, single and hit batsman. The right-hander worked out of the jam by getting Jose Altuve to fly out to center.

Chris Carter homered for the third time in two games and the 25th time this season to cut the deficit in half in the fifth.

Shawn Tolleson replaced Mi kolas, who threw 105 pitches through five innings, to begin the sixth and was greeted with back-to-back singles from Dominguez and Grossman.

Tolleson proceeded to strike out Jake Marisnick and Marwin Gonzalez before inducing an inning-ending fly out from Petit to keep the Rangers in front.

Game Notes

Texas was in search of its first three-game winning streak since June 11-14 ... Houston snapped a three-game skid ... The Astros went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, while the Rangers went 2-for-7 in those instances.






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