Hamels stymies Astros as 4-run 3rd lifts Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Cole Hamels pitched seven scoreless innings, Elvis Andrus scored each time after his three hits and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 6-4 Friday night, the fourth consecutive loss for the team with the American League’s best record.

Hamels (7-1) limited the Astros to three singles only six days after the lefty’s complete game against Minnesota. Two of those were infield hits, including Jose Altuve’s comebacker that ricocheted off his left knee and into foul territory in the fourth.

Alex Claudio got major league batting leader Jose Altuve to look at strike three with runners on first and second for the final out.

The Rangers went ahead to stay with four runs in the third off Charlie Morton (9-5), whose fielding error on a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases with no outs. Andrus and Nomar Mazara followed with consecutive RBI singles, and Carlos Gomez drove in two with a single up the middle after Adrian Beltre and slugger Joey Gallo both struck out.

Andrus led off the fifth with a single and scored on a double by Beltre, his second hit of the game and 3,010th of his career. Andrus doubled and scored on Mazara’s single in the seventh to make it 6-0.

Hamels struck out 5 and walked 2, improving to 29-7 in his 58 starts with the Rangers since being traded from Philadelphia two years ago. He is 5-0 with a 2.66 ERA in 7 home starts this season, when he missed nearly two months with a right oblique strain.