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. It is 4 1/2 games back of Toronto and Baltimore for the top spot in the wild-card standings.
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Hitting: The Rangers had only one base runner from the third inning to the sixth and didn’t have another ninth-inning push.
Astros LHP Dallas Keuchel expressed optimism that he would begin a throwing program on Wednesday but Houston manager A.J. Hinch was more dubious. It’s ridiculous. At least after only winning 15 of the 19 games this season, the Rangers won’t have to put up with this indignity any longer.
“It looked like he seemed to fight himself in the delivery a little bit”, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. Two were out in the second when Teoscar Hernandez connected for a two-run shot and a 3-1 lead. Three batters into his start he appeared to be in trouble, surrendering an infield single to Ian Desmond before Carlos Beltran followed with a double that scored Desmond for a 1-0 Texas lead. The rookie right-hander retired 14 of 15 batters at one point. And it left the Rangers with a rotation order that has Cole Hamels, Darvish and Colby Lewis in order.
Bregman pulled up as he advanced to third base on a Tyler White groundout in the sixth inning and left the game shortly thereafter. Bregman tried to walk it off, but he was lifted for pinch-runner Tony Kemp and limped off the field. After the seventh, Gonzalez moved back to second.
Darvish, who last started Saturday at Los Angeles, used the extra rest to throw a second between-starts bullpen session Wednesday.
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Astros: RHP Collin McHugh (10-10) makes his 30th start of the season Friday in Seattle looking for his fourth straight win.
