Rangers Beat Astros

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HOUSTON — After losing 10 of their last 12 games, the Texas Rangers needed a game like Monday’s 2-1 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, ending Houston’s 10-game winning streak.

“It’s a huge win for this team,” said left-handed starter Ross Detwiler, who pitched brilliantly but didn’t get the win. “Everybody was talking about the 10-game winning streak. It’s all anybody was talking about. It’s good to put an end to that.”

Texas put it an end to that when catcher Robinson Chirinos hit a sacrifice fly to medium deep center field in the top of the ninth inning, scoring third baseman Adrian Beltre with the winning run.

Astros center fielder Jake Marisnick appeared to have a chance to get Beltre at home, but his throw was well wide of home plate.

“I thought it was not too deep,” Chirinos said of his fly ball. “It was deep enough. Thank God we were able to win tonight. Something to start a winning streak.”

Beltre opened the top of the ninth with a double to center off Houston reliever Chad Qualls. Beltre advanced to third on a single by first baseman Kyle Blanks.

Pinch-hitter Rougned Odor struck out, bringing Chirinos to the

plate with one out.

Beltre wasn’t sure what third base coach Tony Beasley said to him on the fly ball.

“I was going no matter what,” Beltre said. “In that situation, we’re not going to stay there.”

The 36-year-old Beltre joked that any fly ball was deep enough for him to score.

“My legs feel great,” he said.

Texas failed to dent Houston starter Dallas Keuchel until it scored the tying run in the eighth inning. Delino DeShields, replacing the injured Leonys Martin in center field, walked, stole second and scored on left fielder Jake Smolinski’s single.

“I got away with a few mistakes, but the inning they scored, it felt like two of the best pitches I made all game,” Keuchel said.

Detwiler, who entered the game with an 0-3 record and an 8.66 ERA, pitched superbly. He allowed a run in the first inning without a hit, then shut down baseball’s hottest team for the next six innings.

He finished his evening giving up just four hits in seven innings, striking out seven and walking two. But Houston took advantage of one of those walks in the first inning. Second baseman Jose Altuve led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild ptich, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by DH Evan Gattis.

“It was really good to bounce back after that first inning,” Detwiler said. “I started throwing my changeup in the second and third inning.”

Keuchel, the American League pitcher of the month for April, began the night with a 3-0 record and an 0.73 ERA.

He gave up five hits in eight innings and struck out eight, including striking out the side in the second and third innings.

“You don’t really go into pitching against the other guy,” Detwiler said.

He impressed Houston manager A.J. Hinch.

“He changed his game a little bit,” Hinch said of Detwiler. “He played a pretty good cat-and-mouse game of off-speed fastballs. He mixed his pitches pretty well. He slowed the game down from a velocity standpoint. Just kept our hitters off-balance.”

Rangers manager Jeff Banister was happy to see Detwiler pitch so well after the left-hander had failed to last more than 5 2/3 innings in any of his four previous starts this season.

“Everybody had Detwiler out of the picture,” Banister said. “He had the angle on his fastball tonight. His changeup was the pitch. We need our pitching to be sharp.”

The Rangers were glad to see Keuchel depart after eight innings.

“He’s tough, hides the ball well,” Banister said of Keuchel. “He had all three pitches in play. He makes it tough on you.”

Beltre said he hit a slider off Qualls to lead off the top of the ninth.

DeShields replaced Martin in the sixth inning and doubled into the right-field corner. He then walked in the eighth.

Martin injured his left wrist attempting to make a diving catch on a drive by Altuve in the bottom of the third inning. The ball hit the ground and Altuve ended up at second base with a double. A trainer stayed on the field with Martin for several minutes before Martin decided to remain in the game.

Martin left the game two innings later.

“When I grabbed my bat (to hit in the sixth inning) it was a tough moment,” Martin said. “I said, ‘Skip, I can’t swing.’ I’m in a lot of pain right now.”

The injury was diagnosed as a sprain and X-rays were negative.

“I’m sure he’ll be day-to-day,” Banister said of Martin. “We’ll evaluate him when he comes in tomorrow.”

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