Rangers 8, Astros 2
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Rangers have dramatically and forcefully seized control of the American League West in only four days, completing a pivotal sweep of the Houston Astros with an 8-2 victory Thursday.
Down 1 1/2 games in the standings when the series began Monday, the Rangers now lead the division by 2 1/2 games. Texas (79-67) hadn't been alone in first place this season until Tuesday, while Houston (77-70) held or shared the top spot for 139 days before the Rangers took over.
Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland was the hero again Thursday with a three-run homer that gave him six RBIs in the series. Moreland hit a crucial two-run shot in Monday's series opener and drove in the game-winning run with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the second game.
Rangers starter Colby Lewis (16-8) set a career high for victories after allowing two earned runs on seven hits in six inni'ngs. Astros starter Lance McCullers (5-6) shouldered the loss after yielding three earned runs on five hits and three walks in six innings
Moreland put the Rangers ahead in the third inning with a two-out, three-run homer off McCullers, tying designated hitter Prince Fielder for the team lead with 21 this season. Moreland's homer gave him eight RBIs in his last six games.
Choo collected one-out singles in the first and third innings and Fielder followed Choo with a walk each time, but the Rangers didn't cash in until Moreland's opposite-field blast barely cleared the wall in left-center field.
The Astros got two runs back in the fourth after Jed Lowrie singled with two outs and designated hitter Evan Gattis hit a slicing but potentially catchable fly ball to Mike Napoli, a first baseman/catcher whom the Rangers are trying to convert to an everyday left fielder despite his inexperience at the position.
Had Napoli made the catch, the inning would have been over, but the ball got over his head for an RBI double and the Astros tacked on another run on a Luis Valbuena single that scored Gattis.
NOTES: Mike Napoli, who had never played outfield in his professional career before Sunday, started in left field for the Rangers for the first time against a right-handed pitcher on Thursday. Manager Jeff Banister originally said Napoli would only play left against lefties. ... The Astros activated C Jason Castro from the disabled list and batted him ninth in the lineup. Castro missed 16 games with a strained right quad. ... Houston 3B Jed Lowrie returned to the lineup for the first time since he left Monday's game after fouling a ball off a foot. ... The Rangers honored longtime Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton, who died Thursday at 88, with a moment of silence before Thursday night's game. ... Rangers SS Elvis Andrus struck out in the second inning to end a career-high streak of 55 plate appearances without a strikeout.