Cole Hamels, offense combine to rout Astros for Rangers sweep

The big inning was back for the Texas Rangers on Sunday.

They scored five runs in the third and tacked on four more to sweep the Houston Astros with an emphatic 9-2 win at Minute Maid Park.

The nine runs were more than enough for Cole Hamels, who pitched one of his best games as a Ranger, outdueling the reigning Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and following the lead set by Colby Lewis and Cesar Ramos by baffling the Astros’ bats. He struck out a season-high 11 and allowed two runs (one earned) over a season-high eight innings.

Texas is six games over .500 and returns to Arlington to begin a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Globe Life Park.

The Rangers were swept in Oakland to start the short trip, but their mastery of the Astros continued. Texas has won all six games against Houston in 2016 and has won 14 of the past 16. The clubs meet 13 more times, including June 6-9 in Arlington.

“They’ve got some outstanding players, we know that,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “It’s only a matter of time before they put a run together. We’ve played well against them. We know that’s a quality ballclub over there and we have to continue to play well against them.”

The No. 5 to No. 9 hitters in the Rangers’ lineup drove in six of the nine runs, including three by Nomar Mazara, whose two-run homer in the seventh stretched the lead to 9-2.

In the third, No. 7 hitter Ryan Rua was in an 0-2 hole before Keuchel hit him to start the five-run surge. Bobby Wilson followed with a run-scoring double to left-center. With two outs, Ian Desmond, Adrian Beltre and Mazara each drove in runs. Beltre’s two-run double scored Desmond and Prince Fielder to make it 4-0. Keuchel (2-6) left after allowing seven runs on nine hits in six innings.

“We know he hasn’t been exactly like he was last year, but early on our guys didn’t quite have the approach we were looking for,” Banister said of Keuchel, who has struggled in 2016, especially against the Rangers. “But they settled in and forced him to pitch, forced him to get the ball back over the plate.”

The five-run third is the Rangers’ biggest inning since they scored seven in the eighth to beat the White Sox on May 10.

“It’s huge for us, especially for the guys we have at the top of our lineup,” Rua said. “Guys keep it going. We kept it going late, too. To be able to do that in this last game is encouraging. The starting pitching and bullpen this series was lights out. They gave us a chance in every game.”

Lewis, Ramos and Hamels combined to hold the Astros to two earned runs on 11 hits and three walks with 21 strikeouts over a combined 21 innings. Their three quality starts run the Rangers’ total to 30 in the first 44 games.

“He’s pretty good,” Wilson said jokingly of Hamels. “He’s really good. That’s why he’s one of the better pitchers in the league.”

The Rangers added runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh to pull away. Each time the Astros scored, including an unearned run in the third and a solo homer by Evan Gattis in the sixth, the Rangers answered. Tony Barnette pitched a scoreless ninth.

“Any time you can separate yourself and give your pitcher some space to work, knowing if he gives up a base hit, especially for a guy like Cole, a veteran pitcher with stuff who knows how to pitch,” Banister said. “Those answer-back runs are key also. The confidence [it gives to your pitcher] and what it does for your offense.”

After a three-game sweep in Houston, both are looking confident.

This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Cole Hamels, offense combine to rout Astros for Rangers sweep."