Beltre has 3rd career cycle for Rangers

Adrian Beltre hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 as the Rangers fended off the Astros on Monday.

According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Beltre is the first player to complete a cycle by the fifth inning since B.J. Upton in 2009.

While Beltre’s accomplishment on his own is impressive but what the Rangers, as a team, have done when it comes to hitting for the cycle is nothing short of astonishing.

Six of those cycles have come since the beginning of the 2009 season, twice as many as any other team in the major leagues in that almost seven-season span. Arizona and Colorado both have three cycles in that time.

Astros: Playing only the second game of a nine-game trip, Houston has yet to decide on a starter as it looks to win for only the third time in its last 14 road games. He pitched eight innings and allowed one run.

Astros pitcher Scott Kazmir was named American League Pitcher of the Month for July by Major League Baseball on Monday.

In his two starts as an Astro, Kazmir went 7.0 scoreless on July 24 at KC and 7.2 scoreless on July 30 vs. LAA.

On July 8, Kazmir exited his start after only three innings with tricep tightness, but still struck out four batters and allowed just an unearned run. He threw 119 pitches, two shy of his season high.

National Basketball Association All-Star Kevin Durant was among those on hand to watch Price work on a sunny afternoon. It was the 12th home run surrendered by Price in 10 career starts at Rogers Centre.