SB Nation Dallas - Rangers Win Sixth Straight In Houston, 9-3https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2010-06-19T13:20:52-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/12889272010-06-19T13:20:52-05:002010-06-19T13:20:52-05:00Official Recap June 18
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<p>Houston, TX (Sports Network) – Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer and drove in a total of four runs, as the Texas Rangers handled the Houston Astros, 9-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p>Josh Hamilton had three hits, knocked in two runs, and scored twice for the Rangers, who have won six in a row for the first time since a seven-game run from May 10-17 of last year. Hamilton extended his hitting streak to 14 games in the process.</p>
<p>Scott Feldman (5-6) gave up three runs on nine hits in a seven-inning start. He also fanned six batters and walked one to pick up the win.</p>
<p>Geoff Blum, Hunter Pence, and Jason Michaels had an <span class="caps">RBI</span> apiece for the Astros, who have dropped two straight and six of seven overall.</p>
<p>Wandy Rodriguez (3-10) lasted just three innings, allowing six runs on four hits with four walks to take the loss, his third straight.</p>
<p>The Rangers scored all the runs they would need in the third inning. Feldman doubled and Elvis Andrus walked before Michael Young grounded out. Ian Kinsler walked to load the bases with one out and Vladimir Guerrero recorded another walk to plate a run. Hamilton followed with a two-run single, Smoak a two-run double, and Matt Treanor an <span class="caps">RBI</span> base hit for a 6-0 lead.</p>
<p>Smoak’s two-run blast in the fifth gave Texas an 8-0 margin. Andrus hit an <span class="caps">RBI</span> groundout in the sixth to make it a nine-run game.</p>
<p>Houston scored all of its runs in the home sixth. Carlos Lee hit a one-out single and crossed the plate on Pence’s double. Blum followed with an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single. Pinch-hitter Michaels added a run-scoring base hit later in the inning.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/6/19/1526024/official-recap-june-18JP Starkey2010-06-18T18:02:47-05:002010-06-18T18:02:47-05:00Follow Along Against Houston
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<p>To follow tonight’s game live against the Houston Astros as Texas looks to make it six in a row, head over to <a href="http://www.lonestarball.com/2010/6/18/1525291/game-67-game-day-thread" target="new">Lone Star Ball and join the conversation</a>.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/6/18/1525406/follow-along-rangers-houstonJP Starkey2010-06-18T15:31:06-05:002010-06-18T15:31:06-05:00Series Preview June 18-20
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<p>For a preview of the upcoming series against the Astros, head over to <a href="http://www.lonestarball.com/2010/6/18/1523903/series-preview-texas-rangers" target="new">Lone Star Ball.</a></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/6/18/1525182/series-preview-june-18-20JP Starkey2010-06-18T12:54:58-05:002010-06-18T12:54:58-05:00Rangers Look To Win Sixth Straight
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<p>(Sports Network) - While the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/TEX" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas Rangers</a> have used a nine-game interleague road trip to increase their lead atop the American League West, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/HOU" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Astros</a> hope a return home can help them get back on track.</p>
<p>Texas and Houston open up their Lone Star Series this evening with the first of three straight meetings at the Astros' Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p>The Rangers claimed the Silver Boot, awarded to the winner of this six-game season series, last year by taking five of six from the Astros. That included a three-game sweep in Houston in which Texas outscored its in-state opponent 17-8.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for the Astros, the Rangers come to town having won five straight on a nine-game road trip that concludes with this series. Thursday's 6-4 win over Florida helped Texas finish off a three-game sweep and match its longest winning streak of the season.</p>
<p>The Rangers, who hadn't won five straight on a road trip since 2002, can record their longest winning streak since a seven-game run from May 10-17 of last year with a victory tonight.</p>
<p><span>Vladimir Guerrero</span> homered in yesterday's win and <span>Ian Kinsler</span> drove in three runs, including two on a double in the fifth inning, to help the Rangers increase their lead over the second-place <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/ANA" class="sbn-auto-link">Angels</a> in the AL West to 2 1/2 games.</p>
<p>"We understand we are a good team," said Kinsler. "We have to step up to the challenge."</p>
<p>One player who continues to step up to the challenge is <span>Josh Hamilton</span>, who extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games on Thursday. Hamilton is batting .449 (22-for-49) with seven homers and 19 RBI over his burst and is a career .327 hitter with five homers and 12 RBI in 17 games versus the Astros.</p>
<p>The Rangers hope to see more improvement out of <span>Scott Feldman</span> when the right- hander makes the start tonight.</p>
<p>Feldman allowed fewer than three runs for the first time in eight starts Saturday versus Milwaukee, hurling six scoreless innings and working around four hits and three walks in the victory. He improved to 4-6 with a 5.28 earned run average.</p>
<p>"This is just one game," Feldman told Texas' official website. "Hopefully I can keep building on each start, keep getting better and keep it going. It's nice to finally get a win."</p>
<p>The 27-year-old, who has struggled to a 2-4 mark and 6.03 ERA in six road starts this year, has faced the Astros six times -- twice as a starter -- and is 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA against them.</p>
<p>The Astros return home having gone 4-6 on a 10-game road trip, losing five of the final six games on the swing. They were in position to record a series win over the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/KAN" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas City Royals</a> on Thursday, but instead lost a 5-2 decision.</p>
<p>Starter <span>Brett Myers</span> was solid early, but allowed four seventh-inning runs to take the loss. Houston's offense failed to aid Myers' 6 2/3-inning start, as the club was held off the scoreboard following <span>Hunter Pence</span>'s two-run double in the first inning.</p>
<p>Houston has endured a roller-coaster ride this season with <span>Wandy Rodriguez</span>, who hopes to snap a two-start skid this evening.</p>
<p>Rodriguez had won three straight outings before taking a loss at Colorado on June 7 despite seven innings of three-run ball, and was then hammered for a season high-tying eight runs over just five innings against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/NYY" class="sbn-auto-link">Yankees</a> on Saturday. The loss dropped the lefty to 3-9 with a 5.60 ERA on the season.</p>
<p>"I don't know what to say about that," said Rodriguez on Houston's website. "Sometimes I throw a good one and I lose the game, and sometimes I throw a bad one and lose the game, too. I need to keep working."</p>
<p>The 31-year-old has pitched better at home this year, having gone 2-3 with a 4.18 ERA as compared to 1-6 with a 6.50 ERA on the road, and is 3-1 with a 5.01 ERA in four career starts against the Rangers.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/6/18/2316621/rangers-look-to-win-sixth-straightJP Starkey