ARLINGTON, Texas – Ian Kinsler had a three-run triple and Adrian Beltre hit a two-run homer in a seven-run sixth inning, lifting the Texas Rangers to a 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Colby Lewis (6-5) gave up three hits and walked one while striking out 10 in seven innings to win his second straight decision. The Rangers won for the fifth time in six games after limping into June and losing six of 10 on a road trip.
Kinsler had two hits and went 4 for 9 the last two games after an 0-for-14 stretch. He began the day hitting .227 in his previous 18 games. Beltre, who also singled in the eighth, has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games.
Dallas Keuchel gave up four hits and four walks in five-plus innings in his major league debut for the Astros. Fernando Rodriguez (1-7) replaced him after Nelson Cruz singled to open the sixth and was charged with four runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Carlos Lee, in his first game back after missing time on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, went 2 for 4 with two RBIs as the Astros' designated hitter.
Lewis has struck out 84 and walked 12 in 96 innings, giving him a major league-leading strikeouts-to-walks ratio. His only walk Sunday, with one out in the fifth to Jason Castro, was followed by a two-base wild pitch. Matt Downs then blooped a single over a drawn-in infield on the right side to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.
Lewis then retired the last eight batters he faced.
In the sixth, Rodriguez walked Mike Napoli and, after a sacrifice advanced the runners, Craig Gentry to load the bases. Kinsler followed with his bases-clearing triple. After Elvis Andrus walked, Michael Young singled to drive in Kinsler, and Andrus scored when right fielder Brian Bogusevic was slow getting the ball back to the infield. Beltre followed with his two-run shot into the left-field seats.
Andrus had an RBI single in the seventh to make it 8-1.
After Lee's two-run single in the eighth, Yorvit Torrealba's added run-scoring grounder in the bottom of the inning.
NOTES: Rangers OF Josh Hamilton was back with the team on Sunday but remained out of the lineup while still recuperating from an intestinal virus that required a stay in the hospital. He is expected to play Monday in the first game of the Rangers' three-game series at San Diego, though manager Ron Washington said his status is day-to-day. ... Houston relievers had not allowed an inherited runner to score this season, stranding 16 before Cruz scored in the sixth. ... Houston pitching coach Doug Brocail was ejected in the top of the ninth inning — with his team batting — after charging out of the dugout to argue with home-plate umpire Dale Scott. ... Washington said RHP Neftali Feliz (sprained right elbow) is expected to begin a long-toss routine on Monday. The team will re-evaluate his status after a couple of weeks. ... Washington said the team has not determined how to use the rotation spot filled by rookie Justin Grimm on Saturday, which next comes up on Friday. There are a few options available, including calling up Roy Oswalt from Triple-A Round Rock.
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