ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ Andrew Cashner fired a three-hitter over eight innings, and the Texas Rangers rolled to an 8-1 victory against the Houston Astros on Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
With their second consecutive win, the Rangers scrambled back to .500 for the sixth time since August 17. After being smothered for three innings, the Rangers scored six runs over a six-batter span in the fourth to open up a big lead. The Rangers have won four of the last five against their intra-state rivals.
Mike Napoli, who began the game 4 for 13 with a homer in his career against Dallas Keuchel, likely got the start over Delino DeShields because of that career track record. It certainly wasn't based on recent success. He went into the game on an 0-for-17 skid. After grounding out in his first at-bat, though, he drove a Keuchel pitch into the left-field stands for a three-run homer that capped the Rangers six-run fourth inning.
On the mound, Cashner put together his longest start of the season by going eighth innings and perhaps eliminated any concerns of fatigue. After allowing six runs in 112/3 innings over his previous two starts, the only run Cashner allowed Wednesday came on a second-inning sacrifice fly. Since July 1, Cashner has had seven quality starts in nine outings. His ERA in that stretch: 2.58
Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus enters the last game of the month with a chance at the team record for doubles in a month. Andrus' ninth-inning double Wednesday gives him 13 in August. The last Ranger to have 13 in a month was Mark DeRosa (May, 2006). The club record: Buddy Bell with 14 in August, 1979. The RBI double gave Andrus 69 RBIs for the year, tying his career high. He finished 3 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
