Astros Beat Rangers In 10
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ARLINGTON, Texas — In the long season that is major-league baseball, the Houston Astros’ fifth victory of 2014 will be forgotten sooner rather than later.
But its significance can’t be overstated for a team rebuilding from rock bottom in the American League.
The Astros battled back twice, the last time in the top of the 10th inning when second baseman Jose Altuve’s sacrifice fly brought in pinch-runner Marwin Gonzalez with the winning Houston’s 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.
The victory was Houston’s first in the last 13 games against its intrastate rival, which jumped out to a lead early and tied the game on Michael Choice’s pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth.
Left-hander Kevin Chapman (1-0) earned the victory. Right-hander Anthony Bass retired the Rangers in the bottom of the 10th to earn the save.
“It’s a big win, just from the fact that they came back and tied it up and the way we responded,” Houston manager Bo Porter said. “I thought it was huge. It speaks to the resilience of this team.”
Right-hander Joakim Soria (1-1), who gave up a one-out triple to
designated hitter Jason Castro to start Houston’s rally, took the loss.
The Rangers put runners at the corners in the bottom of the 10th, but Bass struck out third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and induced a groundout to first out from Choice, the designated hitter, to end the game.
Left fielder Robbie Grossman broke out of a slump by going 2-for-4 with a three-run home run for Houston (5-7).
Four players had RBIs for the Rangers. Choice’s pinch-hit solo home run — the first home run of his career — in the bottom of the ninth off Chapman tied the game.
“It’s definitely a bittersweet taste,” Choice said of his two at-bats. “I would’ve loved to come up big there in the end, but it’s baseball and it happens.”
Kouzmanoff, catcher J.P. Arencibia and right fielder Alex Rios each had an RBI for Texas (5-6).
Grossman’s home run keyed Houston’s five-run fourth inning — run support that appeared would be enough to make a winner out of Houston starter Jarred Cosart, who struck out eight and gave up six hits in seven innings.
Catcher Carlos Corporan had a sacrifice fly and third baseman Matt Dominguez a run-scoring single in the inning.
Rangers starter Tanner Scheppers pitched seven innings and gave up five runs on four hits — all in the decisive fourth inning. He struck out six.
Scheppers was moving along well, having allowed only one baserunner, until the fourth. The Astros sent eight players to the plate, starting with Castro, who led off with a walk.
Altuve and first baseman Chris Carter followed with singles before Corporan’s sacrifice fly to right scored Castro to start the scoring binge.
The Rangers closed their deficit to 5-4 in the eighth on Rios’ double and appeared poised for more. But with no outs and the middle of the order due, Rios was thrown out trying to steal third by Corporan.
First baseman Prince Fielder and Kouzmanoff followed with groundouts to end the threat.
“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Rios said. “In that situation, I should have stayed on second and let them do their job.”
The Rangers scored a run each in the first and second.
Kouzmanoff knocked in shortstop Elvis Andrus for the Rangers’ first score. Second baseman Donnie Murphy doubled in the second, moved to third on center fielder Leonys Martin’s bunt single and scored on Arencibia’s groundout to shortstop.
“It’s always good to beat these guys, especially at their place,” Grossman said. “We’ll just build on this momentum and come back tomorrow.”
