Rangers Avoid Sweep, Take Down Astros 6-2
HOUSTON (AP/CBSDFW.COM) - Nick Martinez got his first win since May 24 and Adrian Beltre and Shin-Soo Choo both homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday, snapping a seven-game skid against their in-state rivals.
Martinez (2-8), who was pitching on five extra days' rest, allowed five hits and two runs over five innings to end a seven-game losing streak. The Rangers trailed by two early before scoring twice in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-2 lead. The 393rd homer of Beltre's career came off Dallas Keuchel in the sixth inning and Choo also had a solo shot in the seventh to make it 6-2.
Keuchel (10-8) allowed six hits and tied a season-high with five runs in six innings.
Jose Altuve had two hits for his 49th multihit game this season in his return after missing Saturday's game with a sore neck.
Chris Carter made it 1-0 in the first when he grounded into a force play that scored Robbie Grossman and left Altuve out at second. Carter was initially ruled out on the play, but manager Bo Porter challenged the call and it was overturned.
Altuve was plunked with one out in the third inning and added to his American League lead when he swiped second for his 46th steal. Jason Castro's single sent him home to make it 2-0.
The Rangers didn't have a baserunner until a single by Elvis Andrus to start the fourth inning. He and scored on a double by Alex Rios to cut the lead to 2-1.
A two-out single by Adam Rosales allowed Rios to score and tie the game.
Robinson Chirinos doubled and Daniel Robertson singled to start the fifth inning. Chirinos scored and Robertson took third on a wild pitch by Keuchel to put Texas on top 3-2. A sacrifice fly by Andrus scored Robertson to push the lead to 4-2.
Texas returns home to face the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow night at Glbe Life Park.
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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