Rangers vs. Astros

[Bob Of Burleson]

Games at 7:10 on Channel 21

[bodine]

Maybe the Rangers and the Astros should consider moving to the PCL....

[geeiabil]

.

Astros 4 Rangers 3

Two on one out double play in the top of the ninth finishes Arlington's other team.

[Bob Of Burleson]

Cotts allows eighth-inning HR as Texas loses sixth straight to Houston

By Richard Dean / Special to MLB.com

HOUSTON -- The Rangers had a chance to close the gap on the Astros, but couldn't hold onto a lead in the late innings on Friday night as Houston rallied for a 4-3 victory at Minute Maid Park in the opener of a three-game series.

Neal Cotts gave up a one-out, two-run home run to Robbie Grossman in the bottom of the eighth as the Astros took the lead for the first time. Grossman's fifth home run, and third hit of the game, scored Jon Singleton, who led off the inning with a single. Cotts also allowed a run-scoring double by Gregorio Petit to give the Astros a 4-2 lead.

Texas led early on a two-run, first-inning home run from J.P. Arencibia. The Rangers were trying to get to within a half game of the Astros for fourth place in the division.

The Rangers wasted little time in taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Arencibia's eighth home run, a deep ball to left field off left-hander Brett Oberholtzer, scored Shin-Soo Choo, who led off the game with a single.

Activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday's game, catcher Geovany Soto was hitless in his first three at-bats.

Texas starter Miles Mikolas, who was working on an extended five days' rest, was hitting 96 mph, and consistently hitting mid 90s with his four-seam fastball.

In five innings, the right-hander allowed only one run -- a Chris Carter homer in the fifth -- and four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He retired Jose Altuve, who entered the game tied for the American League lead in batting at .335, all three times he faced Houston's second baseman. Altuve left the game after five innings with discomfort in his neck.

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[Bob Of Burleson]

Today's game is at 6:10 p.m. on Fox SW.

[Bob Of Burleson]

Yu's perfect run in Houston ends with rough start
Astros tag Rangers ace for five earned runs for first Minute Maid loss

By Richard Dean / MLB.com

HOUSTON -- The Texas Rangers have been struggling in 2014. It was Yu Darvish's turn to struggle on Saturday, failing to get out of the fifth inning in taking the loss against the Astros.

The right-hander just didn't have it, from start to early finish. He didn't pitch like one of the American League's premier pitchers, which he is.

And Darvish's troubles occurred at Minute Maid Park, where he hadn't lost in his three previous starts (all in 2013). A poor performance on Saturday from Darvish, who couldn't get out of a Houston four-run fifth inning, led to another Rangers defeat, 8-3, and a seventh consecutive loss to the Astros.

"Yu Darvish is human," said Rangers manager Ron Washington. "He can have a bad night."

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[Bob Of Burleson]

Today's game: 1:10 p.m. on Fox SW

[Bob Of Burleson]

[BigTex]

I think we can kiss the Silver Boot goodbye.