Rangers Beat Astros
HOUSTON — Manager A.J. Hinch utilized the best arms in the Houston bullpen to stifle the Texas Rangers’ bats while his club’s offense clawed back from a modest deficit, but with those options exhausted and the game merely tied, things quickly turned sour for the Astros.
Rougned Odor homered leading off the 12th inning, and the Rangers edged the Astros 4-3 Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
Odor finished 3-for-4 with a double and smacked his 31st home run off Astros right-hander James Hoyt (1-1).
Texas (86-59) extend its lead over the Astros (75-69) in the American League West to 10 1/2 games, improving to 14-3 against Houston this season while matching the club record for wins through 145 games.
“I don’t know,” Odor said when asked to explain the Rangers’ success against Houston. “I like playing against the Astros. I always like to play against the Astros. I like to hit in this ballpark. I just like it. I feel really comfortable here.”
Right-handers Michael Feliz, Luke Gregerson, Will Harris and Ken Giles kept Texas hitless for five innings. Odor snapped that string with a 375-foot blast to right field.
“Our bullpen stepped up even in roles they are not used to. They are pitching in
down games,” Hinch said. “Those were high volatile innings for them. One pitch in the strike zone and Odor ends it. It’s certainly a tough loss.”
Right-hander Keone Kela (5-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief for Texas. Left-hander Jake Diekman recorded his fourth save with a perfect 12th.
Astros designated hitter Evan Gattis blasted a one-out solo home run off Rangers closer Sam Dyson in the ninth inning to pull the Astros even at 3-3. Gattis’ 26th homer represented a positive turn for Houston after a frustrating seventh inning.
Rangers left-hander Martin Perez allowed just two hits and two walks before surrendering consecutive baserunners to open the seventh with Texas leading 3-1. Astros left fielder Marwin Gonzalez reached on a fielder’s choice, and pinch hitter Colby Rasmus followed by working a walk.
Gonzalez scored when pinch hitter Tony Kemp delivered a two-out double off Texas right-hander Matt Bush that bounced out of play in right field. Rasmus would have scored as well had the ball remained in play.
Bush then struck out George Springer with a 100 mph fastball to strand both Rasmus and Kemp in scoring position.
Perez surrendered two runs on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. He got the better of his matchup with Astros right-hander Doug Fister, whose short outing was salvaged by the handiwork of the Houston bullpen.
The first five batters reached base for the Rangers off Fister in the first inning. Carlos Beltran and Odor delivered run-scoring hits, with Odor dropping an RBI double just inside the right field line for a 2-0 Texas lead.
Fister retired the side in order in the second and induced double plays in the fourth and fifth to sidestep leadoff baserunners in each inning. In the third, Odor struck again with a single that scored Ian Desmond and extended the lead to 3-0.
“He’s really shrinking the zone for himself, and when he has an opportunity to stay through the middle of the field, he does, and when he sees a mistake, he puts a great swing on it,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said of Odor. “I think he did that tonight in three different at-bats.”
Fister allowed six hits, three runs and three walks while striking out three over five innings. Considering all the traffic on the basepaths during his appearance, a two-run deficit amounted to a minor miracle, one made possible when Gonzalez lined a two-out single to center field that scored Carlos Correa in the second inning.
“I felt like I threw good pitches,” Fister said. “They found a few holes and got some timely hits.”
