Rangers’ offense shut down as Astros salvage series finale in Florida

The Houston Astros broke open a tight game with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and defeated the Texas Rangers 5-1 on Thursday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

The Astros salvaged the final game of the three-game series that was moved to the Tampa Bay Rays’ home stadium after the Rangers and Astros couldn’t agree on playing the series in Arlington. Flooding caused by torrential rains from Hurricane Harvey forced the series out of Houston.

Next up for the Astros is a day off Friday and then a day-night doubleheader Saturday at Minute Maid Park to start a series against the New York Mets. It was announced Thursday that the Astros would be able to return to their home park for the weekend. The downtown Houston stadium escaped major flood damage. Astros president Reid Ryan has said he hopes the weekend games “can serve as a welcome distraction” for the city.

For the Rangers, a home series against the Los Angeles Angels begins Friday.

The Rangers were hoping for a sweep against an Astros team working against the distractions of having family, friends and fans in Houston coping with unprecedented flooding on the Gulf Coast and Southeast Texas.

Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre suffered a strained left hamstring on a fielding play in the seventh inning and left the game in pain. Beltre will undergo an MRI on Friday, but his availability during September was thrown into question.

The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the the first inning by scoring on a ground out, but Houston quickly tied it in the bottom of the first on Jose Altuve’s 21st home run of the season.

Houston broke the tie in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Josh Reddick against Rangers starter Nick Martinez, who went five innings. Martinez (6-7) allowed only five hits.

In the eighth, the Astros broke through against Rangers relievers Jose Leclerc and Alex Claudio for three runs.

Chris Devenski (7-3) worked 2  1/3 hitless innings in relief of Collin McHugh to get the win. Ken Giles pitched the final two innings for his 27th save in 30 opportunities.

For the Rangers (66-67), it was their first loss all year at the Tampa Bay Rays’ home park. They swept the Rays in a three-game series in June.

McHugh allowed one unearned run, but bench coach Alex Cora pulled him one out short of a potential victory. Cora was managing in place of A.J. Hinch, who was ejected by second-base umpire Joe West for arguing a catcher’s interference call in the first.

McHugh allowed four hits, walked two, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch in 4  2/3 innings.

Alex Bregman had an RBI single in the eighth, and Derek Fisher, who entered the game as a pinch runner, followed with a two-out, two-run single in his only at-bat.

Nomar Mazara drove in the Rangers’ only run with a fielder’s choice in the first.

Beltre, who missed 51 games at the start of this season with calf issues, said after the game that he would have an MRI on Friday.

“It’s too soon to tell. Get an MRI tomorrow and see where we’re at,” Beltre said. “Today, it doesn’t really feel good.”

NO-FIELD ADVANTAGE

Joey Gallo hit what looked like a potential home run in the fourth for the Rangers, but the ball hit the B-ring on the catwalk at Tropicana Field and fell in the field of play. Gallo settled for a double and didn’t score.

The final game of the relocated three-game series drew 3,385 fans, the smallest crowd of the series. Attendance for Wednesday’s game was 6,123.

This report includes material from The Associated Press.

AL wild-card standings

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Rangers’ offense shut down as Astros salvage series finale in Florida."