Rangers 10, Braves 3
Luis Sardinas had three hits and four RBIs and Michael Choice drove in three runs as host Texas recorded its first three-game sweep since April.
Leonys Martin and Robinson Chirinos added three hits each as the Rangers blew it open with six runs in the fifth, winning three in a row for the first time since June 11-14 and sweeping a series for just the second time this season – the first coming April 21-23 at Oakland. Colby Lewis (10-13) surrendered one run on five hits in seven innings.
Mike Minor (6-11) allowed five runs on eight hits with three walks in 4 2/3 innings for Atlanta, which concluded a disastrous 2-7 road trip to drop four games behind Pittsburgh for the final National League wild-card spot. Ryan Doumit hit a solo homer and Joey Terdoslavich drove in two runs.
Sardinas reached on a fielder’s choice in the second and Choice’s low liner with two outs bounded past Atlanta left fielder Justin Upton to score Sardinas, with Choice reaching third on what was ruled a triple. Adam Rosales singled with one out in the fourth and scored when Sardinas lined a double to deep right and the Rangers took control after Minor retired the first two hitters in the fifth, using six hits and a walk to plate six runs.
Chirinos’ bloop single made it 3-0, Sardinas greeted reliever David Hale with an RBI single after a walk, and Choice’s double to deep center scored two more runs. Martin’s RBI single and Elvis Andrus’ run-scoring double concluded the uprising and gave Texas an 8-0 advantage.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Choice strained his left hamstring on his fifth-inning double and had to be helped off the field. … Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 10 games. … The Rangers finished 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position, and scored nine of their 10 runs with two outs.