Urquidy solid, Astros belt three HRs in 7-2 win over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas -- - Jake Meyers and Marwin Gonzalez hit consecutive homers in a three-run second inning, Kyle Tucker homered among his three hits, and Jose Urquidy allowed one run and two hits in six innings as the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 7-2 on Wednesday night.

Urquidy (7-3) struck out six and walked one in beating Texas for third time in four career starts, helping the AL West-leading Astros win for the third time in four games. It was the longest of Urquidy's three September starts after missing two months with a shoulder injury.

Meyers' solo shot, his fifth of the season, broke an 0-for-12 skid. Gonzalez's homer was his fourth of the season and his second homer and second hit since rejoining the club Sunday.

Tucker hit a leadoff homer in the eighth, his 26th, after singling in the second and doubling in the fourth. He also scored three runs.

Chas McCormick hit a two-run single and Yordan Alvarez had an RBI double.

Brock Holt scored Texas' first run in the third inning on a groundout after hitting his first triple since Aug. 2019. Willie Calhoun, who DH'ed in his first game since suffering a fractured forearm on June 26, went 2 for 4, accounting for half of the Rangers' hits.

Kohei Arihara (2-4) didn't retire a batter in the fifth inning, and was pulled after three batters. Making his third start since undergoing shoulder surgery in May, Arihara allowed six runs on eight hits and hit two batters.

Urquidy retired 11 straight after Holt's triple, until a two-out single in the sixth by Calhoun.

Meyers' opposite-field homer carried 401 feet to right field. Gonzalez, a switch-hitter, pulled his blast 404 feet, just inside the right-field foul pole.

Gonzalez has two homers in four games with the Astros after hitting two in 77 games with the Boston Red Sox before his release on Aug. 16.

Holt tripled to deep right when Tucker couldn't make a backhand catch on the warning track while running toward the wall and hitting face-first. Holt was activated from the COVID-19 list on Tuesday and played his first game since Aug. 21.

McCormick's hit in the fourth inning came on a 2-2 pitch, after Arihara stepped off the pitching rubber twice, prompting boos from the home crowd.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: OF Michael Brantley (right knee soreness) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Monday. ... Manager Dusty Baker said RHP Jake Odorizzi (right foot soreness) was walking better than expected but had no timetable on his return.

Rangers: Calhoun was activated Wednesday after missing 67 games. To make room on the 25-man roster, OF Jason Martin was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock. To make room on the 40-man roster, LHP Hyeon-jong Yang was designated for assignment.

UP NEXT

Thursday's series finale will match Astros LHP Framber Valdez (10-5, 3.26 ERA) against Rangers RHP Glenn Otto (0-1, 6.92). Valdez has beaten Texas twice this season, allowing two runs in 13 innings. Otto, acquired July 29 from the New York Yankees in the Joey Gallo trade, gave up eight runs in 3 1/3 innings at Oakland last Friday. Otto will be followed by LHP Kolby Allard, making his first relief appearance following 17 straight starts since late May.

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