Texas Rangers

After Rangers lose, Astros, Angels win to tighten A.L. West


Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder watches his home run against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning Monday night at Globe Life Park. Fielder had four RBI in the Rangers’ 7-4 loss to the Tigers.
Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder watches his home run against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning Monday night at Globe Life Park. Fielder had four RBI in the Rangers’ 7-4 loss to the Tigers. Special to the Star-Telegram

The American League West race got a little tighter late Monday night.

Both the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels won on the West Coast to pull closer to the first-place Texas Rangers in the standings.

The season is down to the final six days, including six games for the Rangers and Angels and five for the Astros.

“Worry doesn’t do anything,” Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder said. “It just makes everything seem bigger than it is. All we can do is come out tomorrow and try to win. We’d rather just try to win, we don’t want to give people heart attacks.”

Houston is now just a 1 1/2 games behind Texas after holding off the Mariners 3-2 in Seattle. The Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 with a walk-off win in the ninth.

The Rangers lost to the Detroit Tigers 7-4 earlier in the night. Colby Lewis allowed six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings and took the loss. Justin Verlander held the Rangers to one run on six hits in six innings. Fielder was 3 for 4 with a home run, double and four RBI, including a two-run single in the ninth that pulled Texas to within 7-4. Adrian Beltre was the tying run at the plate with two on but bounced into a game-ending double play.

How the West will be won

Rangers (84-72): vs. Tigers Tuesday-Wednesday; vs. Angels Thursday-Sunday

Astros (83-74): at Mariners Tuesday-Wednesday; at Diamondbacks Friday-Sunday

Angels (82-74): vs. Athletics Tuesday-Wednesday; at Rangers Thursday-Sunday

Stefan Stevenson, 817-390-7760

Twitter: @StevensonFWST

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 1:39 AM with the headline "After Rangers lose, Astros, Angels win to tighten A.L. West."

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