Astros Top Rangers 9-3 Behind McCullers' 10 Strikeouts
ARLINGTON (AP) — Lance McCullers Jr. struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings, Carlos Correa and Jake Marisnick hit two-run homers and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Saturday.
Correa and AL MVP Jose Altuve each had four hits and scored twice for the World Series champions. Marisnick hit second homer, connecting early against Matt Moore.
McCullers (1-0) was one short of his career high in strikeouts. It was the seventh time he has fanned 10.
Elvis Andrus scored all three Texas runs. He hit a solo homer, and later singled and scored on Adrian Beltre's double that finished McCullers.
Houston took a 3-0 lead in the second. Evan Gattis led off with a double and scored when Brian McCann's popup fell in front of right fielder Nomar Mazara for a single. Marisnick followed with his homer.
Doubles by Correa and Marwin Gonzalez gave the Astros a run in the third. Gonzalez drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
George Springer added an RBI double in the sixth and Correa homered in the seventh.
(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)