|
 The Texas Rangers right-hander said he felt comfortable and healthy,
and most of all, he was having fun. He used the Houston Astros'
aggressiveness against them to help the Rangers to their first
three-game win streak of the season, capped by an 11-3 victory
Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.
In eight innings, Lewis (2-2) gave up one run on six hits with one
walk and six strikeouts.
"It's fun to go out there and get that amount of runs scored and
fill up the strike zone and use their aggressiveness to get quick
outs," he said.
The Rangers (11-16) swept a series for the first time since last
September, when their last sweep came against, coincidentally, the
Astros. Houston (18-10) lost a season-high third consecutive game.
Left fielder Carlos Peguero powered Texas' offense. He hit his
second and third home runs of the season, one day after hitting his
first. It was the first multi-home run game by a Ranger in 2015.
Peguero's seventh-inning home run ended Astros reliever Will Harris'
stretch of 28 2/3 scoreless innings, which was the longest active
streak in the majors. Peguero also scored in the third and knocked
in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Texans manager Jeff Banister saw exactly what he wanted from his
outfielder at the plate: aggressiveness.
"This is a big man with a lot of power," Banister said of Peguero.
"Go and drill the baseball. That's what we're looking for."
Peguero and third baseman Adrian Beltre each had three hits for
Texas. Peguero and catcher Robinson Chirinos knocked in three runs
apiece.
Houston right-hander Samuel Deduno struggled early, allowing four
runs in the second inning and two in the third.
Peguero hit the first home run of the night in the top of the
second. Later in the inning, center fielder Delino DeShields hit an
RBI groundout, and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo knocked a two-run
home run to give the Rangers a 4-0 lead.
Texas continued to find ways to score in the third when Beltre hit a
standup double, advanced on a flyout and then scored on Deduno's
wild pitch. Three batters later, Chirinos ripped a line drive down
the third base line for a double, scoring Peguero from first base,
making it 6-0.
Astros fans began to boo with one out in the fifth inning when
Deduno gave up another four runs. Peguero scored designated hitter
Prince Fielder with a sacrifice fly, and Chirinos followed with a
two-run double. Two batters later, DeShields scored Chrinos with a
single, which promoted Astros manager A.J. Hinch to replace his
pitcher.
"You know two four-run innings are really hard, it's hard to
navigate through," Hinch said. "He took one for the team later in
the game to get us a bridge to the rest of our bullpen, 'cause I
wanted to leave our setup (men) and closer in the 'pen. But all
around, just a forgettable series for us."
[to top of second column] |
Deduno allowed 10 runs on 11 hits and three walks with four
strikeouts, two home runs and one wild pitch over 4 2/3 innings.
Deduno's performance was not something Hinch wanted to address
postgame.
"Obviously, I know there can be a ton of questions about it, we'll
talk about it as a group as we would. Sit down with Sam and how we
get him better," Hinch said. "You know we've got the full series in
Anaheim and an off day before we have to address it."
The Astros ended Lewis' shutout bid in the eighth when second
baseman Jonathan Villar singled home catcher Jason Castro.
"Nothing really changed," Lewis said. "I knew (Villar) was going to
be hacking. I threw a slider and he hit it. ... I was trying to
throw strikes and get outs. It didn't really matter at that point. I
was just trying to have another quick inning."
Houston first baseman Chris Carter knocked a two-run home run off
reliever Spencer Patton with two outs in the ninth.
NOTES: Astros RF George Springer, who crashed into the wall while
making a catch Tuesday, was placed on the seven-day concussion
disabled list Wednesday. Houston promoted OF Preston Tucker from
Triple-A Fresno. ... Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred
met with the Rangers and the Astros during his visit to Minute Maid
Park. Manfred said the two main topics discussed were pace of play
and the marketing of players and the game. Other topics discussed
with the 21 teams he has visited so far have included a 154-game
schedule, changes to the draft and the potential reinstatement of
Pete Rose. ... Astros star 2B Jose Altuve went 0-for-3 Wednesday on
his 25th birthday.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
