HOUSTON _ The Astros blew open a close game with a nine-run sixth inning to take the series finale against the Rangers 13-2 Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.
Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner worked out of jams in each of the first three innings, allowing runs in the first and second but escaped unscathed in the third after the Astros had runners on the corners with no outs. Carlos Beltran lined out to first base and Joey Gallo was able to double up Carlos Correa for a double play before Cashner struck out Brian McCann to strand Jose Altuve at third. Atluve doubled in the first and move to third on a wild pitch and gave Houston a 1-0 lead on Correa's groundout. In the second, McCann led off with a double to the left-field corner and scored on Marwin Gonzalez's single to center to make it 2-0.
Altuve doubled and Correa singled to start the fifth and later scored to push the lead to 4-1. Cashner was replaced without recording an out in the fifth by Jeremy Jeffress. The Astros scored nine runs on seven hits, two walks and two hit batters in the sixth. Jeffress was charged with four runs on three hits, including two solo homers that got the rally started with no outs. Tony Barnette was charged with three runs on two hits and two walks and didn't record an out. Dillon Gee mopped up the final three innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Astros rookie right-hander Francis Martes held the Rangers scoreless through the first four innings. Jonathan Lucroy doubled to start the fifth and later scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. The Rangers had the bases loaded with no outs but Martes struck out Jared Hoying, got Shin-Soo Choo to pop out to third and struck Nomar Mazara looking to end the inning.
The Rangers struck out eight times Wednesday to run their club-record streak to 19 games with eight or more strikeouts. It's the second-longest such streak in the past 100 years. The 2013 Astros did it in 28 consecutive games.
