Bullpen remains stingy as Rangers take opener against Astros

HOUSTON The Texas Rangers opened its final series with the Astros with a 6-2 win to increase their lead atop the American League West to 41/2 games. The Rangers’ magic number to clinch the West title is now five games.

Pitching

Yovani Gallardo worked out of trouble in the first two innings, including a strikeout of Jose Altuve with two on to end the second. In the first, Gallardo got out of a jam with runners on the corner with a fly ball to left. The Astros got on the board in the fourth on Luis Valbuena’s two-run homer to left. Gallardo escaped more damage with runners on the corners when he got Carlos Correa to ground out.

After recording two quick outs in the fifth, Evan Gattis doubled down the third-base line. Andrew Faulkner replaced Gallardo and got pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez to line out to left to end the inning. Gallardo finished with two runs allowed on eight hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Ross Ohlendorf pitched 11/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two and walking none. Jake Diekman took over for Ohlendorf for the final out in the seventh. Sam Dyson pitched a scoreless eighth. Shawn Tolleson pitched a scoreless ninth to close it out.

The Texas bullpen combined to pitch 41/3 innings of scoreless relief, holding the Astros to three hits and no walks.

Hitting

Texas built a 3-0 lead after a run in the first and two more in the second against Astros’ starter Scott Kazmir. In the first, Adrian Beltre walked with two outs and scored on Prince Fielder’s double to left-center field. In the second, Mitch Moreland led off with a double to Tal’s Hill in center and scored when Kazmir fielded Elvis Andrus’ bunt and threw wildly to first. Moreland scored on the error. Chris Gimenez tripled off the wall in left to score Andrus to make 3-0. Texas had runners on the corners after Delino DeShields was hit by a pitch and Shin-Soo Choo singled to left but Beltre flew out to right to end the inning.

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