The Houston Astros completed a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 12-3 win on Wednesday night at Globe Life Field.
Houston’s offense was explosive, outscoring the Rangers 39-10 in the series and helping the Astros take first place in the American League West.
“Obviously, it was not a good series,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told the media after Wednesday’s loss. “There wasn’t a lot we did well, to be honest. They played well. They got hot on us, they didn’t miss any mistakes, and the long ball killed us in this series. We just didn’t execute pitches, left a lot up throughout this series, and we paid for it. They pitched well, they swung the bats, and they put it to us. There’s no getting around that.”
Wednesday’s game featured a top-tier pitching matchup between former teammates and Cy Young Award winners Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, who played together in Detroit and were both traded by the New York Mets earlier this season.
Verlander held the Rangers to just two runs (one earned) over seven innings to earn his 11th win of the season, while Houston jumped on Scherzer for seven runs, knocking him out of the ballgame after just three innings.
Jose Abreu led the charge for Houston on Wednesday, going 3-5 at the plate with two home runs and seven RBIs. His first home run was the third of the game for the Astros and his fifth career grand slam that made it a 7-1 game. He also hit a three-run home run in the ninth, followed by a solo shot from Chas McCormick.
Rangers second baseman Marcus Semine had a hand in all of the Rangers scoring, hitting two solo home runs and knocking in a third with an RBI single.
The win gives Houston a one-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, while the Rangers fall to three games back and are now half a game behind Toronto for the final wild card spot with 23 games left to play.
Texas (76-63) plays a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics (43-97) in Arlington this weekend, while Houston (80-61) hosts the San Diego Padres (66-75).
Houston and Texas do not play again this season, and Houston wins the Lone Star Series and the Silver Boot after winning nine of the 13 games this season.
