Gallo power Rangers to 11-10 win over Astros

Joey Gallo capped a prolific weekend with his third consecutive multi-hit game, and the host Texas Rangers claimed the rubber match of their three-game series with the Houston Astros with an 11-10 victory Sunday in Arlington. After slugging home runs in each of the first two games, Gallo finished 2-for-3 with five RBIs and delivered a two-run triple that ignited Texas' three-run first inning against Astros right-hander Collin McHugh.

Gallo also hit a sacrifice fly in the Rangers' four-run third inning and, after the Astros chased Texas right-hander Shelby Miller with a five-run sixth, Gallo added a run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth to provide added insurance. Carlos Correa and Josh Reddick both homered as Houston closed to within 11-8 in the eighth.

George Springer opened the ninth with the Astros' fifth home run of the game, who scratched across a second run against Rangers closer Jose Leclerc before Texas reliever Shawn Kelley entered and fanned Robinson Chirinos with the bases loaded to preserve the win. Houston was 3-0-1 over its previous four series. The Astros had won nine consecutive games in Arlington before dropping the final two games of a three-game set April 2-3. The Rangers claimed the final two games of this series by pounding Astros starters Gerrit Cole and McHugh.

After tagging Cole for nine runs (eight earned) over 4 1/3 innings Saturday, Texas saddled McHugh with 10 runs (nine earned) in the finale. McHugh did not survive the fourth, undone when he deflected a batted ball from Delino DeShields, enabling DeShields to reach base two batters before Danny Santana reached when Chirinos was cited for catcher's interference.

Elvis Andrus followed with a two-run double that chased McHugh and built Texas' lead to 9-1. Gallo's sacrifice fly made it 10-1. McHugh (3-2) allowed eight hits and one walk while recording one strikeout over 3 1/3 innings.

Miller (1-1) ceded the mound in the sixth after Yuli Gurriel reached on a one-out error by right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. Alex Bregman and Michael Brantley opened that frame with back-to-back homers, with Bregman smacking his fourth dinger and Brantley his third.

Miller allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.