Rangers 5, Astros 3
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Designated hitter Prince Fielder's tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted the Rangers to a 5-3 victory over the Astros on Monday, pulling Texas within a half-game of Houston in the American League West.
Texas (76-67) opened the four-game series at Globe Life Park with its ninth win over Houston (77-67) in 13 meetings this year. The half-game deficit is the closest the Rangers have been to first place in the division this season.
The game between the instate rivals had all the makings of playoff showdown, as both clubs sent ace left-handers to the mound. Texas set up its rotation to start Cole Hamels, while the Astros countered with Scott Kazmir.
However, the bats proved the difference, as Texas got two-run blasts from Fielder and first baseman Mitch Moreland. Fielder connected off reliever Will Harris (5-4) with one out in the eighth.
Texas reliever Keone Kela (7-5) got the last out in the top of the eighth and earned the win. Closer Shawn Tolleson picked up his 32nd save after allowing one hit in the ninth.
Houston dropped to 29-43 on the road and 2-5 on its current 10-game road trip.
Moreland gave the Rangers their first lead of the game with a two-out, opposite-field home run to left off Kazmir in the sixth. Moreland's 20th blast of the season made it 3-2.
The Astros battled back against Hamels in the top of the seventh, stringing together several long at-bats before tying the game on left fielder Colby Rasmus' stinging single to right with two outs. The rocket off Rasmus' bat bounced before it ricocheted off Moreland's chest, allowing shortstop Carlos Correa to score from second.
Both Hamels and Kazmir pitched seven innings and allowed three runs while walking one and striking out four, though one of Texas' runs against Kazmir was unearned.
The Astros jumped on Hamels in the first inning, as Altuve deposited the first pitch he saw into the left field seats. Hamels had gone five straight starts without giving up a home run.
The Rangers tied it in the second thanks to an error to start the inning. Fielder reached after third baseman Jed Lowrie dropped a routine popup. Fielder scored on second baseman's Rougned Odor's two-out double to straightaway center.
Houston limited the damage and saved a run for Kazmir when Correa took a relay throw from center fielder Jake Marisnick and threw out Texas left fielder Mike Napoli at home.
Kazmir got himself out of a second-and-third one-out jam in the third by getting third baseman Adrian Beltre and Fielder to pop out.
Houston took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on Marisnick's head-first slide around a tag by Texas catcher Chris Gimenez. Marisnick had doubled and reached third on a Hamels balk before breaking for home on right fielder George Springer's sharp grounder to first. Moreland fired to the plate, but Marisnick got his hand under Gimenez's glove.
Lowrie left the game in the fifth inning with a shin injury. He was hit by a pitch in the first inning.
NOTES: On Monday, Texas and Houston began a stretch of seven games against each other in the next 14 days. The Astros held an eight-game lead over the Rangers in the AL West in early August. ... Houston selected the contract of INF Matt Duffy from Triple-A Fresno. (This is a different Matt Duffy than the one who plays third base for the San Francisco Giants.) To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Scott Feldman (shoulder) was placed on the 60-day disabled list. ... Since the Astros and Rangers started playing each other in 2001, the clubs both had winning records in the same season just once, in 2004, when the Astros went 92-70 and Texas 89-73. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre and Houston OF George Springer are their clubs' nominees for the Roberto Clemente Award.