Texas broom service ends Astros' L of a trip

 

ARLINGTON -- A three-run home run by Mitch Moreland helped the Rangers complete a stunning four-game sweep of the Astros with a 8-2 victory on Thursday night. The Rangers, with their fifth straight victory and 18th in their last 26 games, now lead the Astros by 2 1/2 games in the American League West.

Moreland's home run off of Astros starter Lance McCullers gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead in the third on their way to their 22nd win in their last 27 home games. Colby Lewis earned his 16th win by allowing two runs in six innings before relievers Keone Kela, Sam Dyson and Ross Ohlendorf closed it out. Shin-Soo Choo had a four-hit night for the Rangers, including a two-run single in the eighth that broke the game open.

The Astros have now lost eight of their last 10 games but are still leading in the race for the second Wild Card spot. They have lost 26 of their last 34 road games but open a nine-game homestand at Minute Maid Park on Friday night. That includes three games against the Rangers at the end of the homestand next weekend.

"The bottom line is we just got outplayed," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "They found different ways to win games and executed pretty flawlessly. We'll see them in a week at our place and we've got plenty of baseball left. It's not a good feeling going home getting beat up like this, but these games are over."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Moreland doesn't knuckle under: Moreland, batting with two on and two out, struck out on a knuckle curve from McCullers in the first inning. Moreland came up in the same situation in the third and this time McCullers threw him a full-count knuckle curve. Moreland didn't miss it, hitting a drive over the left-field wall for a three-run homer.

"He's a good pitcher, I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and I got one," Moreland said.

McCullers comes through: McCullers, who allowed three runs in six innings, delivered a quality start when it was much needed. Astros starting pitchers Collin McHugh and Dallas Keuchel combined to allow 14 runs and 19 hits in 8 1/3 innings in the previous two games against the Rangers. In his previous start in Arlington a month ago, McCullers gave up six runs in one-third of an inning.

"I feel like I put my best foot forward," McCullers said. "I feel like I threw the ball pretty well, some jams I wish I would have been able to avoid, especially early. I wish I had made a better location, maybe a little bit on the Moreland one. Just a popup that ran out of room, really."

WHAT'S NEXT
Astros: The Astros open their final homestand of the season at 7:05 p.m. CT Friday at Minute Maid Park against the Oakland A's. Mike Fiers (7-10, 3.67 ERA) will get the start for the Astros, who acquired him in a July trade. In six starts with the Astros, Fiers is 2-1 with 2.08 ERA, including a no-hitter.

Rangers: Right-hander Yovani Gallardo opens a three-game series against the Mariners at 7:05 p.m. CT Friday in Arlington. Gallardo is ninth in the American League with a 3.35 ERA. He is 2-1 with a 1.56 ERA in three starts against the Mariners this season. mlb