Houston 3 at Texas 5 - Recap

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Martin Perez cruised, Prince Fielder homered and the Texas Rangers returned to their winning ways with a 5-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Park.

The American West-leading Rangers (37-23) took three of four games against their instate rivals and improved to 9-1 against the Astros this season. Texas also won its club-record 10th consecutive home series.

The Astros (29-33) had beaten Texas for the first time this year on Wednesday but squandered a 2-0 lead in the series finale.

Perez (5-4) overcame a shaky third inning to win his fourth in a row and improve to 5-2 lifetime against Houston. The 25-year-old left-hander gave up two runs -- both in the third -- in six innings in his 10th quality start of the season.

Texas reliever Jake Diekman picked up his first save with a scoreless ninth. Regular closer Sam Dyson was given his second straight day off.

Texas took the lead for good with three runs and four hits in the third against Houston starter Collin McHugh. Mitch Moreland, Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazara each had run-scoring hits.

Fielder lined a solo shot in the fourth just inside the right-field foul pole for his fourth homer of the season and only his second since April 19.

McHugh (5-5) was chased with two outs in the fourth after surrendering four runs and seven hits. It was his shortest stint since his season debut on April 6 and snapped his four-game winning streak against Texas.

Perez didn't do himself any favors in the third, sandwiching walks around a one-out single by Jose Altuve. The Astros squeezed two runs out of the bases-loaded scenario on Evan Gattis' sacrifice fly and a Marwin Gonzalez two-out single.

Perez settled down from there and didn't give up a hit in his final three innings.

Houston picked up a run in the seventh against Texas reliever Tony Barnette and had runners at the corners with two outs before Gonzalez lined out to second to end the threat.

The Rangers added an insurance run on Rougned Odor's homer to right in the eighth.

Astros shortstop Carlos Correa left the game in the fourth after an appearing to injure his left ankle while running out a groundout. Correa's left leg slipped across the bag and he was helped off the field by trainers.

Altuve moved from second base to short, making his first career major league appearance at that position. Tony Kemp came in to play second and bat third.

The Rangers finished a successful 6-1 homestand that vaulted the club into first place in the division. Texas heads to Seattle for the start of a 10-game road trip on Friday.

Houston continues its 10-day trip at Tampa Bay this weekend.

NOTES: Texas RHP Yu Darvish reported no issues Thursday after leaving the previous night's game in the fifth inning with some soreness in his neck and right shoulder. Darvish is set to throw his normal bullpen session Friday and is on track to make his next start. ... Houston RHP Will Harris could be closing in on the club's official closer job. He's racked up two saves in two chances and reeled off a club record 26 consecutive scoreless appearances going into Thursday. "Get him in fantasy baseball and see what happens," manager A.J. Hinch cracked. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre had a scheduled off day to end his streak of 151 consecutive starts, which was the fourth-longest in baseball. Beltre did leave Wednesday's game after feeling tightness in his left hamstring and was scheduled to be re-evaluated Thursday.