Rangers Notes: ‘Stros Slaughter Texas at Minute Maid

Manager Jeff Banister goes to the mound to make a pitching change during the Rangers’ 10-0 defeat to the Astros Sunday in Houston.

Following a 7-6 victory Saturday that featured a benches-clearing scuffle and seemed to ignite a fire under the team, Texas received a harsh dose of solid pitching by All-Star starter Dallas Keuchel in a 10-0 loss to the Astros on Sunday.

Keuchel set a new career high with 13 strikeouts over seven innings of work and improved his season record to 12-4. While Houston stranded 10 runners on base in the ballgame, it was also able to push 10 across the plate against Yovani Gallardo and Anthony Ranaudo.

Third baseman Luis Valbuena drove in four runs for the Astros, and outfielders Colby Rasmus and Preston Tucker each added a two-run homer in the blowout.

On Saturday, Texas rode a quality start from Colby Lewis to a 7-6 win at Minute Maid Park, although the bullpen left much to be desired in allowing four runs over the final two innings.

Rougned Odor provided Lewis with an early advantage­­­ when he connected for a two-run homer off former Ranger Scott Feldman in the top of the third.

The Texas lead would grow to 5-1 before Houston scored three runs in the eighth, the first of which came home on an RBI double into left-center field by Jose Altuve. Marwin Gonzalez appeared to be tagged out by catcher Robinson Chirinos on a close play at the plate, but Tony Randazzo’s safe call was upheld after the Rangers issued a challenge.

In the top of the ninth, Astros catcher Hank Conger took exception to the amount of time Rougned Odor was taking to get into the batter’s box for his plate appearance, and words were exchanged between the two before both benches emptied.

Texas manager Jeff Banister was visibly upset with Houston skipper A.J. Hinch during the mild quarrel, and he said after the game that “our guys are not going to be pushed around.”

Conger would hit a two-run shot off Shawn Tolleson with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but Tolleson was able to retire the next three batters to nail down the 7-6 win for Texas.

Prior to last week’s All-Star Game at Great American Ballpark, the Rangers had dropped four out of five games against N.L. West division opponents Arizona and San Diego.

In the midsummer classic, designated hitter Prince Fielder went 1-for-1 with an RBI single and a run-scoring sacrifice fly as part of the American League’s 6-3 victory over the National League.

Feliz Signed by Tigers; Detwiler to Braves

Former closer Neftali Feliz cleared waivers and was granted free agency after being designated for assignment earlier this month, and he was picked up by Detroit to join its depleted bullpen on Jul. 11.

Left-hander Ross Detwiler, meanwhile, was DFA’d and released by Texas before signing a deal with the Atlanta Braves on Friday. Detwiler began the season as a starter but was moved to the bullpen after going 0-5 with a 6.95 ERA over his first seven starts.

His spot on the active roster was taken by right-handed reliever Roman Mendez, who was then sent back to Triple-A Round Rock when lefty Martin Perez was activated from the 60-day disabled list.

Catcher Carlos Corporan was placed on the 15-day DL Friday (retroactive to Jul. 13) with a sprained left thumb, an injury he had been dealing with for weeks but aggravated while taking batting practice against Matt Harrison.

Twenty-four-year-old Tomas Telis was recalled from Round Rock to take Corporan’s spot on the active roster.

Rangers Could Pursue Hamels

Left-handed starter Cole Hamels is one of the top names expected to be moved before the Jul. 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and Texas – despite its lackluster showing in the standings – is among the teams considered a potential suitor.

While Hamels, 31, would instantly bolster the top of the rotation, he will also command a steep asking price as far as a return package. Infielder Joey Gallo is considered to be off-limits, but catcher Jorge Alfaro or outfielder Nomar Mazara could be included as part of a deal with Philadelphia.

If Texas ends up as a seller instead of a buyer at the deadline, starting pitchers Yovani Gallardo, Colby Lewis and Wandy Rodriguez would all be viable options to get traded.

Darvish Nearly Perfect as Rangers Take Series from Houston

Yu Darvish set a new career high with 14 strikeouts Tuesday while retiring the first 26 batters he faced, part of a 7-0 victory for Texas.

After getting beat 8-2 in Sunday’s opener and having to wait through a scheduled off day Monday, the Rangers were looking for some positive momentum heading into the second game of the season Tuesday at Houston’s Minute Maid Park.

Texas got exactly what it needed as right-hander Yu Darvish delivered one of the best single-game pitching performances in franchise history. Darvish struck out a career-high 14 batters and came within one out of a perfect game, only to watch a ground ball by Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez bounce under his glove and into center field in the bottom of the ninth.

Although he still had two outs in the inning and a 7-0 lead, Darvish had thrown 111 pitches to that point and was replaced by lefty Michael Kirkman, who allowed another hit but struck out J.D. Martinez to preserve the shutout victory.

“I think my teammates were more disappointed than I was,” Darvish said of losing his no-hitter and perfect game bid with one out to go. “I think I got lucky today. I felt I pitched better against the Royals last [September] … I had better command in that outing.”

Manager Ron Washington said after the game that he was planning to remove Darvish following the Gonzalez at-bat regardless of the result, citing the 26-year-old’s pitch count as well as the fact that it was his first start of 2013.

“Early in the season there is [caution],” Washington said. “When you’re throwing a perfect game, you try to get through it. He got two quick outs. I felt like if he had walked that guy, if the guy had gotten a base hit, he was gone.

“[Gonzalez] got the base hit. I would have gotten darts in my back if I had walked out there after a walk.”

Darvish was also afforded some breathing room as the game progressed, watching Texas score two runs each in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to turn what had been a 1-0 lead into a 7-0 final. Ian Kinsler hit the Rangers’ first home run of the year in the seventh, and longtime Astro Lance Berkman went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs against his former club.

On the heels of Darvish’s brilliant performance, Alexi Ogando got the start Wednesday afternoon and helped Texas pitchers set a major-league record for team strikeouts (43) through the first three games of a season.

The Rangers had struck out 13 Houston batters in a losing effort Sunday before Darvish and Kirkman combined for 15 strikeouts on Tuesday. Ogando fanned 10 Astros over six-plus innings Wednesday, and Kirkman teamed with closer Joe Nathan to punch out the last five batters and nail down a 4-0 win for Texas.

Andrus Extension Becomes Official

The team announced Thursday what had first been reported late Sunday night, that Texas had agreed to an eight-year contract extension with All-Star shortstop Elvis Andrus worth roughly $120 million.

The new deal for Andrus will go into effect after his current contract, which runs through the end of next season, expires.

“As a player, I treat myself as a winner,” the 24-year-old Andrus said. “Until I get this city and this organization a ring, I won’t sleep. We came so close to getting it that, as a player — that’s what makes you better.

“I love Texas, they treat me well,” he said. “My family loves this city too. I can’t wait to continue to play, continue to grow … continue to fight to get a ring.”

An All-Star in two of his first four major-league seasons, Andrus has a career batting average of .275 in a Rangers uniform while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop, and his presence is one of the main reasons top prospect Jurickson Profar is starting the year at Triple-A Round Rock.

Texas Preps for Angels, Hamilton

The club has a day off Thursday before hosting former slugger Josh Hamilton and the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday.

Hamilton left the organization last December following five years spent with the Rangers, during which time he was an American League All-Star in every season while hitting .305 and amassing 142 home runs.

Left-hander Derek Holland is slated to face off against the Angels’ Jason Vargas in Friday’s home opener, and he will be followed to the mound by Matt Harrison Saturday afternoon and Yu Darvish on Sunday.

Texas went 9-10 against Los Angeles in 2012, including a split record of 5-5 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.