American League Game Summary - Texas at Houston
Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Carlos Peguero belted a pair of homers and Colby Lewis continued his mastery of the Houston Astros in the Texas Rangers' 11-3 victory that finished off a three-game series sweep.
Peguero finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, but was far from the only Ranger with a big night offensively. Robinson Chirinos also knocked in three runs, Shin-Shoo Choo clubbed a two-run homer and Adrian Beltre went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the lopsided win.
"It was really nice to see the offense show," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "The one thing we did today was we continued to add on runs."
Lewis (2-2) didn't need much help to improve to 6-1 lifetime against Houston, including 5-0 at Minute Maid Park. The right-hander yielded just a run on six hits while fanning six over a season-best eight innings.
Houston entered this series on a 10-game winning streak, but failed to bounce back as the Rangers torched Samuel Deduno (0-1) for 10 runs and 11 hits over a 4 2/3-inning stint.
Chris Carter had a two-run homer in the ninth inning for the Astros, with Jonathan Villar adding an RBI single in defeat.
"All around, just a forgettable series for us," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said.
Deduno was effective in his first start off the season Friday against Seattle, but clearly didn't have it on this night. He made it through the top of the first unscathed, but Peguero's opposite-field homer ignited a four-run second that sparked the rout.
Chirinos followed with a walk and took third on Adam Rosales' single prior to crossing the plate on Delino DeShields' fielder's choice. Choo followed with a blast that just cleared the high wall in left to stake Texas to a 4-0 lead.
The Rangers struck for two more runs in the third, as Beltre doubled and later scored on Deduno's wild pitch and Chirinos plated Peguero with a two-out double.
Singles by Prince Fielder, Beltre and Kyle Blanks set the stage for another big inning in the fifth. Peguero's sac fly and Chirinos' two-run double pushed the margin to 9-0, with DeShields tacking on another run with a single that ended Deduno's rough evening.
Lewis had no such struggles. Doubles by Robbie Grossman and Evan Gattis came to no avail in the third and fourth innings, respectively, and the veteran set down 11of-12 hitters after the latter until Jason Castro doubled to lead off the Houston eighth.
"It's fun to go out there and get that amount of run support and get out there and fill the strike zone and use their aggressiveness to get quick outs and go deep in the game," Lewis stated.
The Astros were down 11-0 at the time after Peguero went deep again in the seventh. Villar eventually spoiled the shutout bid by delivering a single that brought home Castro.
Spencer Patton relieved Lewis in the ninth and served up Carter's two-out homer.