Braves and Rangers split doubleheader
ATLANTA — With his 20th home run of the year, Elvis Andrus joined a power-andspeed club so exclusive, its only other members this season are Jose Altuve and Mike Trout.
For the Texas Rangers, the recent power surge from Andrus is especially important as the team competes for an AL wild card after losing Adrian Beltre to a hamstring injury.
Andrus drove in three runs with four hits, including a homer, as the Rangers beat the Atlanta Braves 12-8 Wednesday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader to spoil the major league debut of Luiz Gohara.
In the night game, Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman hit a two-run double during a five-run second inning against Cole Hamels, and the Braves held off a rally to win 5-4.
After the first game, Andrus had 23 stolen bases to go with his 20 homers, more than double his previous career high of eight last season. Altuve and Trout were the only other 20-20 players in the majors this season when Andrus made his mark.
“It’s great company, the two best players in the league right now,” Andrus said. “I’m really proud of the season I’m having right now, but it’s not about me.”
The only other Rangers shortstop to have at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season was Toby Harrah, in 1975 and 1977.
The Rangers began the day two games behind the Angels in the race for the second AL wild card. Texas could be without Beltre for at least four weeks after he suffered a grade 2 strain of his left hamstring Aug. 31. Andrus has hit four homers in the past three games.
“It’s huge, in the absence of a pure power hitter in our lineup,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “He’s filling the void right now with Adrian being out.”
Gohara (0-1), a 21-year-old native of Brazil, allowed six runs in four innings. The left-hander gave up four hits, walked four and struck out six. With two outs in the first, Andrus — who began his career in the Braves’ organization — sent a shot over the 400-foot mark on the center-field wall at SunTrust Park.
“I got a little excited for the first inning,” Gohara said. “Tried to calm down a little. The walks just happen in baseball.
“I feel pretty good to be here. It took a lot of time to get here.”
Gohara lost a 4-2 lead in the fourth, which he started by issuing back-to-back walks to Joey Gallo and Napoli. Brett Nicholas hit a one-out RBI double, pinch hitter Will Middlebrooks followed with a go-ahead two-run triple and Middlebrooks scored on a wild pitch to give Texas a 6-4 lead.
The early afternoon game was scheduled after Tuesday night’s matchup was postponed by rain. There were 19,971 tickets distributed, but it appeared only a few hundred fans were in the stands.
In the second game, Atlanta starter Julio Teheran (10-11) earned his second straight home win, allowing three runs, five walks and five hits in five innings.
Hamels (9-3) gave up five runs, four earned, in six innings. After facing 10 batters in the second inning, he allowed only one hit over his next four innings.
Arodys Vizcaino gave up two-out singles to Jared Hoying and Carlos Gomez in the ninth. Vizcaino ended the game on Joey Gallo’s fly to center for his 10th save.