Mazara, Beltre help Rangers pound Astros
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nomar Mazara and Adrian Beltre homered to key an offensive barrage as the Texas Rangers crushed Houston 12-4 Saturday.
The win increased the Texas lead of Houston in the American League West to 10 1/2 games. It's the largest lead of the season for Texas, which is now 13-2 against Houston this year.
Every Texas starter had at least one hit on a day the Rangers finished with 16.
The Astros took 1-0 lead in the top of the second on an RBI single by Teoscar Hernandez, but the Rangers got that run back in the bottom of the frame on Beltre's leadoff homer.
Texas then took charge against Joe Musgrove (2-3) with two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings. Mitch Moreland's two-run single in the fourth put Texas up and then Mazara slammed a two-run homer to center to put the Rangers up 5-1.
Derek Holland (7-6) notched his third straight quality start, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on six hits. Musgrove was charged with five runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Evan Gattis cut the Texas lead to 5-2 with a solo homer off Holland in the sixth, but the Rangers added some insurance on a bloop single from Carlos Beltran in the seventh and a steal of home by Ian Desmond on a double steal.
Beltre went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Robinson Chirinos also collected three hits. Desmond had a pair of hits, including a two-run single in the eighth. Five Texas players had two RBI.
Gattis went 3-for-4 for the Astros, who finished with 11 hits.
NOTES: Texas Rangers C Jonathan Lucroy was scratched from Saturday's lineup because of flu-like symptoms. ... United States gold-medal gymnast Madison Kocian threw out the first pitch before the game. ... Friday's 10-8 victory marked the first time the Rangers used six relievers to win a nine-inning game since Sept. 27, 2014. ... Since Aug. 16 Houston Astros 3B Alex Bregman leads the American League in RBIs with 19. ... Yuli Gurriel drew his first professional start at first base for Houston Saturday. Gurriel took grounders at first for the first time Friday and entered the game as a defensive replacement.