HOUSTON (AP) — The Texas Rangers showed what they can do when their pitching and offense are clicking.
Carlos Peguero hit a pair of solo homers, Shin-Soo Choo had a two-run shot and Texas routed the Houston Astros 11-3 Wednesday night behind eight strong innings from Colby Lewis.
Adrian Beltre was a home run shy of the cycle for the Rangers, who finished a three-game sweep. Houston had won 10 straight entering the series, but was outscored 20-5 over the three games.
“One thing we did tonight is we continued to add on,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “It was special to see the middle of that lineup show up. Guys got on base and barreled the baseball. It’s fun to watch those guys run around the bases.”
Lewis (2-2) allowed one run and six hits to earn his first win in nearly a month. He struck out six and walked one.
“When the pitching and hitting come together, this is the type of team we are about,” Lewis said. “It’s fun to get that much run support, fill up the strike zone and use their aggressiveness to get quick outs and go deep in the game.”
Peguero drove in three runs and had the first multihomer game this season by a Rangers player. Texas set a season high for runs and swept a series for the first time since Sept. 22-24 last year against the Astros.
Peguero had his first multihomer game since June 2, 2011, against Tampa Bay.
“It’s very fun,” he said. “We got the three wins in a row. Colby did a great job. I tried to wait for the ball, let it drop and I put a good swing on it.”
Chris Carter hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Astros.
Peguero connected with one out in the second to start the scoring, and Robinson Chirinos scored on Delino DeShields’ groundout before a slumping Choo upped the lead to 4-0 with a two-run homer.
The Rangers tacked on two more in the third as Beltre scored on a wild pitch and Chirinos extended the lead to 6-0 with an RBI double.
Texas added four more runs in the fifth off Samuel Deduno (0-1), with Peguero hitting a sacrifice fly before Chirinos drove in two with a double and Deshields capped the inning with an RBI single.
Deduno was tagged for a career-high 10 runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings. He was making his second start for Houston after five relief appearances.
“This is just a series to forget,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “A day to forget. Obviously, Sam early on had a couple of walks. Then, they hit the ball out of the ballpark. Sort of the same way we were winning games the last 10 days. Really never got into the start where he was in control of innings.”
Jonathan Villar had an RBI single in the eighth for the Astros.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: OF Josh Hamilton (right shoulder) went 0 for 4 with a walk in an extended spring training game, playing five innings in left field. He will take live batting practice Thursday against LHP Matt Harrison, on the 60-day DL following spinal fusion surgery. … OF Leonys Martin missed his second straight game with a sprained left wrist, which he injured Monday.
Astros: OF George Springer was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list after crashing into the wall Tuesday night to make a spectacular catch. OF Preston Tucker will have his contract selected from Triple-A Fresno. … LHP Brett Oberholtzer (left index finger blister) was set to make his second rehab appearance for Triple-A Fresno.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Nick Martinez (2-0) starts Thursday in the opener of a four-game series at Tampa Bay. Martinez is second in the AL with a 0.84 ERA, and Texas is 5-0 in his starts.
Astros: Collin McHugh (4-0) faces the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a four-game series. McHugh has won his last 11 decisions dating to August 2014 and would tie a franchise record by winning his next one.
STREAKS AND STATS
After hitting no home runs in his first 14 games, Carter has four in his last 13 games. … RHP Will Harris saw his scoreless streak snapped at 26 games and 28 2-3 innings with Peguero’s seventh-inning homer. Harris’ streak was the longest active one in the majors and dated to August 2014.