In what has become a recurring theme throughout his career, Beltre launched a mammoth home run while dropping to one knee Tuesday night against the Houston Astros, in a game the Rangers went on to win 3-2.
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Keone Kela (5-1) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings for the win and Jake Diekman pitched a ideal 12th for his fourth save.
Altuve doubled in the first inning and was coming off his first three-hit game since August 19. Offensively, Jose Altuve leads Houston with 195 hits, George Springer has 75 RBI and Carlos Correa has 19 home runs.
Tyler White entered the game to play first base, and Marwin Gonzalez moved from first to second.
Gonzalez had an RBI single for Houston in the second and Tony Kemp’s pinch-hit, ground-rule double got Houston within one in the seventh.
Mazara stroked his blast off Astros rookie right-hander Joe Musgrove (3-4), who allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. “We have put up tough battles and given everything we had, and they have found ways to sneak out wins in the later innings”.
“I always like to play against the Astros”, he said.
Hernandez gave the Astros a 3-1 lead with a two-run homer off the facade in left-center in the second. This team thrives daily on never quitting as well as having a lineup in which any player can provide a game winning hit. Barnette last pitched for the Rangers on September 4, recording four strikeouts over two innings against the Astros in Arlington.
Pitching: Derek Holland allowed three runs in the first two innings before settling into a groove and pitching into the sixth inning.
Will the Rangers pull off the upset again tonight when they visit the Astros at 8:10PM ET? Jose Leclerc allowed one of the runners he inherited to score as the Astros went ahead 5-1.
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Rangers: LHP Cole Hamels (14-5) makes his 30th start of the season Friday night against Oakland. McHugh is 8-3 with a 4.39 ERA in his career against the Mariners, including a 3-0 record this season with a 1.50 ERA.
