Rangers’ belief boosted by sweep of AL

Rangers righthander Yovany Gallardo (8-9) gave up four hits and three runs with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings for the victory before a crowd of 29,953. A two-run triple by Beltre in the first inning put the Rangers ahead to stay at 3-2.

Delino DeShields reached to start the Texas first when Kazmir was unable to cleanly field the roller in front of the plate for an error.

So Straily, even pitching on short rest, was deemed the top option – and most readily available – after Astros rookie Lance McCullers lasted just one-third of an inning Monday and was optioned to the minors.

“We had opportunities in the sixth and ninth, but we obviously need to get out of town and get to a new series”, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

But Kazmir couldn’t get another win against Texas and prevent the AL West-leading Astros from a three-game sweep.

“I think the entire diversion begins in the first inning”.

Houston made the move before Wednesday’s series finale at Texas, and a day after Straily’s spot start against the Rangers. Prince Fielder had a sac fly before consecutive RBI singles by Mitch Moreland and Elvis Andrus. He allowed only one earned run in 34 innings for an 0.26 ERA, the third-lowest July mark in history.

Scratch Martinez #22 of the Texas Officers tosses a pitch against the Tampa Inlet Beams in the first inning on May 7, 2015 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Astros attack consisted of six hits and four walks with Carlos Gomez going 2-4 with a homer and two RBI’s with Luis Valbuena logging two hits and driving in a run.

“It all started with me”.

Nick Martinez pitched five innings to earn the win for Texas, improving his record to 7-6 with a 3.91 ERA. “Eight strolls and a hit-by-pitch; we simply didn’t score enough runs”. Sam Freeman, after replacing Phil Klein, walked the first two batters he faced, including Conger with the bases loaded. After apparently misjudging the flight of the ball, Rasmus tried to make a jumping catch, and the play was initially ruled an error. There were a lot of defensive highlights. Beltre had a single in the third before his ninth homer of the season completed the cycle against the third Astros pitcher.

The gloves: In the third, SS Elvis Andrus saved a run with a diving stop on Carlos Correa’s grounder to his left.

Astros: OF Preston Tucker is day to day with a bruised triceps muscle after getting hit by a pitch in Tuesday night’s game. He’s expected to start Sunday for Double-A Frisco.

Right-hander Spencer Patton, who had allowed six runs in his previous three outings, spun a ideal seventh inning, striking out Jose Altuve and Gomez to end it, and lefty Jake Diekman, the other player Philadelphia sent in the Cole Hamels trade, needed only five pitches in the eighth to retire the heart of the Astros’ lineup. “Truly wonderful.” All three of Beltre’s cycles have come at the Rangers’ ballpark, two for the home team and one as a visitor when he was playing for Seattleon September 1, 2008.