Thu Jun 26 23:02:12 2008

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Rodriguez, Astros down Rangers

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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Wandy Rodriguez pitched eight strong innings and Hunter Pence drove in three runs, as the Houston Astros downed the Texas Rangers, 7-2, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Rodriguez (3-3) allowed one run on five hits with nine strikeouts for Houston, which has won three of its last four games and will now get ready to host the Boston Red Sox for a weekend series. David Newhan finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored while Lance Berkman added three hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the win.

Ian Kinsler and Marlon Byrd both drove in a run for Texas, which ended its six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark. Kevin Millwood (5-4) suffered the loss after he allowed all seven runs on 12 hits in five innings of work.

Texas slugger Josh Hamilton left early for the second time in this series. Hamilton left Tuesday's game early with knee inflammation and did not play on Wednesday. He returned to the lineup for this contest, but was hit by a pitch in the first inning before he exited in the second. X-rays taken on his left wrist were negative and he is listed as day-to-day.

Off the field before the game started, the Astros placed pitcher Shawn Chacon on waivers a day after his reported confrontation with general manager Ed Wade. The 30-year-old Chacon was 2-3 with a 5.04 ERA in 15 starts this season.

The Astros took an early lead on Pence's triple in the bottom of the first. Michael Bourn led off with a single and stole second before consecutive two- out walks to Berkman and Carlos Lee loaded the bases. Pence then stepped to the plate and ripped a long drive to center field. Hamilton almost caught it, but the ball bounced just over his glove and onto the raised grass area in the deepest part of the park. All three runners easily scored, but Pence was stranded on third after Ty Wigginton struck out.

Four more Houston runs in the bottom gave the Astros a huge 7-0 advantage. Humberto Quintero led off with a bunt single and Rodriguez helped his own cause with a single. Bourn then bunted both runners ahead one base before Newhan's double gave the hosts a 5-0 lead.

Berkman reached first on a two-out infield single, which scored Newhan, and then Berkman headed for second when Millwood committed a balk. When Lee singled to center field, Berkman crossed the plate to cap the uprising.

Rodriguez set the Rangers down in order in both the fourth and fifth innings and successfully worked around a Kinsler one-out single in the sixth.

The best chance for the Rangers to score occurred in the top of the seventh, when their first two runners reached base. Milton Bradley landed on first via an infield single and Byrd reached base safely on an error by Miguel Tejada. With runners on first and second and no outs, though, Rodriguez settled down and got three consecutive outs. He fanned both Max Ramirez and German Duran and forced Jarrod Saltalamacchia to foul out.

Oscar Villarreal allowed one run in the ninth on Byrd's RBI triple.

Game Notes

Texas will host Philadelphia this weekend...Rodriguez improved to 3-0 in his career versus the Rangers...Millwood fell to 6-4 all-time against the Astros...The nine strikeouts for Rodriguez ties his career best...The clubs finished the season series with three wins apiece, but the Rangers captured the Silver Boot by way of a larger run margin...Attendance was 36,506.