Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve hit two homers apiece as the Houston Astros connected a season-high six times in a 9-7 win over the Rangers on Saturday, cutting Texas’ lead in the AL West to 3 1/2 games.
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The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers were playing the rubber match of a three-game series in Houston with the Astros needing a win to keep their lead in the AL Wild Card race.
The Houston Astros moved within 2.5 games of American League West-leading Texas on Sunday courtesy of a 4-2 victory over the Rangers. Keuchel was knocked around for nine runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings at Texas on September 16 but bounced back with a win over the Angels at home on Monday. He was cruising with two outs in the inning before Elvis Andrus threw high on a Marwin Gonzalez (*shakes fist*) grounder for an error. Travelling around the bases, Gomez stole second and advanced to third on a groundout from Colby Rasmus, scoring on a passed ball by Bobby Wilson.
Once the surprise story of baseball, the Astros are watching a season full of promise and hope slip through their fingers. All three of the Galaxy’s designated players scored in the same match for the first time.
Correa’s second homer forged a 4-all tie in the third and gave the 21-year-old 21 this season, breaking Dickie Thon’s franchise record for a shortstop and tying Lance Berkman’s club rookie mark.
Officially, Luke Gregerson got the save by retiring the side in order in the ninth. “It’d be nice to have some hardware, but I’d much rather have a big, fat ring”. David Freese homered in the fifth for the Angels (81-74), who remained a half-game behind Houston for the second AL wild card.
MARLINS 6, BRAVES 2 Justin Bour hit a two-run home run, Justin Nicolino pitched seven solid innings and host Miami beat Atlanta. In the process, he surrendered a 1-0 lead on a two-run double by Jake Marisnick.
“I’d just like to see him get another home start”, Hinch said with a wide smile. “They were hitting pitches the last start, and they weren’t doing that today”.
But Keuchel would allow just one baserunner over the next five innings and retired 15 consecutive batters before left fielder Mike Napoli reached on an infield single with one out in the seventh. Making his first career start after 522 relief appearances over 10 years, Breslow allowed two hits in four innings. Less than an hour earlier, the Mets clinched the NL East – eliminating the Nats from post-season contention – with a win against the Reds.
As Keuchel’s manager, A.J. Hinch, put it, “That’s what aces do”. Carter is 1 for 8 against him this year and Evan Gattis 4 for 9 with a homer. The Astros have three-game series against Seattle and Arizona and the Angels have Oakland for three games and the Rangers for four.
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Stephen F Austin (0-4, 0-2 Southland) scored three straight touchdowns, including two long touchdown passes of 38 and 44-yards from Zach Conque to Justice Liggins and Robert Sylvester, to give the Lumberjacks 32-27 lead.
