SB Nation Houston - Oswalt Lays Egg, 'Stros Hammered 10-1 By Rangershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46691/houston-fave.png2010-06-27T23:07:07-05:00http://houston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13039532010-06-27T23:07:07-05:002010-06-27T23:07:07-05:00'Stros End Silver Boot Series With A Whimper; Fall To Rangers 10-1
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - <span>Josh Hamilton</span> extended his career-high hit streak to 21 with a mammoth two-run homer, and the blistering-hot <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/TEX" class="sbn-auto-link">Rangers</a> took a convincing 10-1 win over the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/HOU" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Astros</a> to record their best 75- game start in franchise history.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Hamilton drove in three runs and tied the franchise record for hits in a month with 47, as the Rangers won for the 13th time in 14 games to move to 46-29, eclipsing the 45-30 mark the team had in 1996. Texas has also won eight consecutive series, tying a franchise mark set in 1977.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Michael Young</span> also homered, while <span>Matt Treanor</span> had two hits and two RBI for the Rangers, who won 14 of 18 interleague games this season. <span>Tommy Hunter</span> (4-0) was the beneficiary of the run support after allowing one run, five hits and two walks in six frames.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Michael Bourn</span> went 1-for-4 with an RBI for the Astros, who have lost two straight following a three-game win streak. <span>Roy Oswalt</span> (5-10) was pounded for eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and four walks in just 4 2/3 frames to take the loss.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Texas put its foot on the gas pedal early and didn't let up.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Vladimir Guerrero</span> led off the second inning with a double to left, and Hamilton crushed a monster home run to right that was estimated to have traveled well over 450 feet for a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">In the third, Young homered with one away and none on. <span>Ian Kinsler</span> followed with a double and later scored on an error for a 4-0 advantage.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Elvis Andrus' RBI single in the fourth increased the lead to five, although Houston got on the board in the fifth with a run-scoring single from Bourn.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Oswalt walked the bases loaded with two outs in the home fifth, and Treanor made it a six-run game with a two-run single, prompting Oswalt's exit.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Chris Sampson</span> didn't fare much better, allowing an RBI single to <span>Julio Borbon</span> for an 8-1 contest.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Rangers tacked on two more runs off Sampson in the sixth. Kinsler and Guerrero led off with a double and single, respectively, and Kinsler scored on a Hamilton groundout. Nelson Cruz's base hit put runners on the corners, and Guerrero scored on a wild pitch for a nine-run lead.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Rangers lead the all-time series between the two Lone Star State teams, 33-27, including 5-1 this season...Oswalt had given up six runs in his last three starts combined...Texas moved to 28-12 at home...Hamilton has a 23-game interleague contest hit streak...The Astros finished 3-12 in interleague play this season.</p>
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https://houston.sbnation.com/2010/6/27/1540681/stros-end-silver-boot-series-withLuke Zimmermann2010-06-27T11:34:24-05:002010-06-27T11:34:24-05:00Preview: Houston Astros (29-46) at Texas Rangers (45-29), 7:05 PM CDT
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">(Sports Network) - The <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/TEX" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas Rangers</a> have expressed interest in acquiring <span>Roy Oswalt</span> and they will get a good look at the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/HOU" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Astros</a>' ace tonight, as the Lone Star State rivals conclude a three-game set at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Behind their potent offense, the Rangers have been one of the hottest teams around and they have publicly acknowledged their interest in acquiring Oswalt to head a staff that is in need of a proven pitcher.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A move would be exactly what Oswalt needs, as he is just 5-9 despite a 3.08 ERA for a Houston club that is well below .500. The veteran right-hander has been a model of consistency of late, surrendering two runs over seven innings in each of his past three starts. He won two of those three starts, while suffering a 3-1 loss to San Francisco and <span>Tim Lincecum</span> this past Tuesday.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Another good reason for Oswalt to join the Rangers is that he is 0-4 with a 4.81 ERA in five outings against them since his last victory on June 24th, 2005. Overall, Oswalt has made 11 career starts against Texas, boasting a 4-5 record and a 3.99 ERA.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Countering for Texas will be <span>Tommy Hunter</span>, who has been terrific since making his season debut in the rotation earlier this month. The right-hander has won three of his four starts with the lone exception coming against Florida on June 16, when he left early with an injury. On Tuesday, Hunter yielded three runs -- two earned -- and nine hits over six innings of a 6-3 win over Pittsburgh.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Hunter is making his first career appearance against Houston and he is hoping the Rangers' bats will continue to provide support like they did in Saturday's 7-2 win.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Ian Kinsler</span> finished with two hits including a three-run homer as Texas got back on the winning track with the triumph over Houston in the middle test of a three-game interleague set.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Nelson Cruz</span> was 3-for-5 with a triple for the Rangers, who had their 11-game win streak halted with a loss in the series opener on Friday. <span>Elvis Andrus</span> added two RBI and <span>Vladimir Guerrero</span> had two hits and knocked in a run.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>C.J. Wilson</span> (6-3) worked seven innings in the win, allowing five hits and two runs for Texas, which has won 15 of its last 17 contests.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"We want to be a team that people just don't want to play," Wilson said about Texas, which has been a force to be reckoned with at home during its run of success. "Nobody wants to play us here. That's why we have such a good home record. Bouncing back is all mental and everyone on the team stepped up today."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Jason Michaels</span> went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Astros, whose three- game win streak was halted.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Josh Banks</span> (0-1) was charged in defeat for eight hits and six runs with four walks over four-plus innings. He was pressed into service for injured starter <span>Felipe Paulino</span> and recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"I just wasn't able to get ahead and locate like I normally do," Banks said of his performance. "I'm not going to overpower the other team so I need to make them hit my pitch. I've gotta work on that so it'll be there next time."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Astros have lost nine of their last 11 to the Rangers.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/2010/6/27/2317077/preview-houston-astros-29-46-at-texas-rangers-45-29-7-05-pm-cdtLuke Zimmermann