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 Martinez fired 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Rangers recorded a
2-1 victory over the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park.
Texas (64-93) won for the 10th time in 11 games, including
back-to-back victories to open a season-ending, seven-game
homestand. The Rangers go for the series sweep over Houston on
Wednesday night.
The Rangers also earned their fifth consecutive home game, matching
their best home sequence of the season, April 15-19. Texas improved
to 11-10 in September, its third-highest win total in any month this
season with five games remaining.
Martinez (5-11) limited the Astros to five hits and no walks while
striking out five. He has a 2.12 ERA in his past five starts,
including his commanding and efficient outing against Texas'
in-state rival.
"I felt good," Martinez said. "I had a real good feel for my
changeup, locating my fastball, and (catcher Robinson Chirinos) did
a heck of job back there. He also supplied a bit of the offense."
Chirinos' solo homer in the fourth inning opened the scoring.
Martinez won for the first time at home and did not issue a walk for
the first time in 23 starts this season.
"I saw him take another step tonight," Rangers interim manager Tim
Bogar said. "He pounded the strike zone. He got ahead of a lot of
guys."
The Astros (69-89) have been stymied in the series so far, managing
just four runs in two games. Second baseman Jose Altuve, who went
0-for-4 Tuesday, is 1-for-8 over the series to drop his
major-league-leading batting average to .343.
"(Altuve) squared two balls up today and hit them right on the nose
and hit them right at people," Houston interim manager Tom Lawless
said. "He's pretty much our catalyst. We go the way he goes most of
the time."
The Astros came to Arlington on their own roll. Houston was 12-8
over the preceding 20 games and 10-8 on the road. Despite the two
losses, the Astros already won the season series against Texas,
taking an 11-7 record into the last game of 2014 between the clubs.
The Rangers pounded out 12 hits Tuesday, including nine against
Houston starter Brett Oberholtzer (5-13). Texas third baseman Adrian
Beltre and right fielder Jake Smolinski each had three hits, and
left fielder Ryan Rua added two hits.
Trailing 2-0, Houston threatened in the ninth, putting runners at
second and third with one out against Texas reliever Neal Cotts.
Third baseman Matt Dominguez's sacrifice fly brought home center
fielder Dexter Fowler, but the rally ended there. Cotts coaxed a
grounder out of shortstop Jonathan Villar to end the game and pick
up his second save.
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"We just couldn't put anything together until the ninth," Lawless
said.
Chirinos extended his hitting streak to eight games with his 12th
home run of the season.
"I was able to put a good swing on that changeup and get it outside
the park," he said. "It was good to help my team win."
After Chirinos' homer, Texas designated hitter J.P. Arencibia
followed with a double and scored on left fielder Daniel Robertson's
single to left through a drawn-in infield. Oberholtzer limited the
damage to two runs with an inning-ending double play.
Oberholtzer lasted just 4 1/3 innings though he allowed only two
runs. He gave up nine hits and two walks, and he struck out three.
"Every inning was pretty stressful," said Oberholtzer, who is 0-4
against Texas in his career. "A lot of baserunners put me in some
stressful situations."
Three Houston relievers blanked Texas over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Shortstop Marwin Gonzalez collected two of the Astros' seven hits.
NOTES: The Rangers held a private workout for Cuban defector Yosmani
Tomas on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic, according to ESPN. Texas
is one of several teams meeting with the free-agent outfielder. ...
Houston interim manager Tom Lawless announced his rotation for the
season-ending series at the New York Mets starting Friday: RHPs Brad
Peacock, Samuel Deduno and rookie Nick Tropeano. ... A proposed
spring-training home for the Astros and Washington Nationals took a
hit Tuesday when Palm Beach County (Fla.) commissioners voted 4-3 to
reject a $145 million financing request for the joint stadium
project. ... Texas rookies accounted for all six of the team's RBIs
in the previous two games going into Tuesday. First-year Rangers had
16 RBIs in the previous five games and 151 for the season, tops in
the majors.
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