ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo, making his home debut for his new team just 15 miles from where he grew up, gave the Rangers a needed boost with a solid outing in Saturday’s 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros.
It was a big bounce-back game for Gallardo (1-1), who was roughed up by the Oakland A’s in the season opener.
A pitching star at Fort Worth’s Trimble Tech High School, Gallardo surrendered two runs, scattered eight hits and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings while performing in front of large contingent of family and friends among the 36,833 at Globe Life Park.
He escaped trouble in the third and fourth innings to maintain a 2-1 lead and allow his struggling offense a chance to score some runs.
They did with three runs in the bottom of the fifth with an assist from Houston first baseman Chris Carter, who had a horrible night at the plate and a costly error that kept the Rangers’ half of the inning alive and directly led to their three runs and a 5-1 cushion.
Gallardo didn’t go as deep into the game as he would have liked, but Texas desperately needed a controlled outing on the heels of news that left-handed starter Derek Holland will miss at least two months after tearing a muscle in his throwing shoulder early in his season debut on Friday.
Ace Yu Darvish recently underwent Tommy John surgery and is lost for the season, leaving the veteran Gallardo, who came over in a trade with Milwaukee during the offseason, as the staff anchor.
Houston starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez (0-1) was on the wrong end of four unearned runs. He allowed five hits and also walked four and was out of the game after 4 2/3 innings, having thrown 92 pitches.
Down to their last out in the ninth, the Astros tried to make it interesting against erratic Rangers closer Nefti Feliz, getting runners on first and second. But Feliz got catcher Jason Castro, the potential tying run, to line out to center.
Texas opened up a 5-1 lead in the fifth as Carter couldn’t handle a routine throw. Sidewinding left-handed reliever Joe Thatcher snatched a grounder between his legs to seemingly end the Rangers’ bases-loaded threat.
But the ball popped out of Carter’s glove and trickled into foul territory, allowing the batter, Mitch Moreland, to reach first safely and for Carlos Peguero, who started the rally with a one-out double, to score.
The fallout continued as Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus singled between shortstop and third, scoring two more runs courtesy of the Carter flap.
The Rangers started the scoring with single runs in the first and second innings for a 2-0 lead.
Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre scored the first run by roping a triple to the right field corner, and then a little gamesmanship on the base path. After rounding third base, he stayed off the bag as Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez took the cut-off throw and eyed Beltre.
As Beltre remained a few feet down the line, he baited Gonzalez into making a throw to third that was way off target and caromed off the front of the Astros’ dugout allowing Beltre to trot home with the 1-0 lead.
Second baseman Rougned Odor made it 2-0 Texas with a one-out fielder’s choice that scored left fielder Jake Smolinksi, who worked a seven-pitch walk to lead-off the second inning. He hustled to third base on Moreland’s line-drive single to center.
Houston’s Gonzalez requited himself in the top of the third, reclaiming the run he gave away on the first-inning throwing error with a solo blast into the right-field bleachers. His first home run of the season came on a 1-2 pitch from Gallardo, giving Gonzalez his first long ball of the season and sliced Texas’ lead in half, 2-1.
The Astros then loaded the bases with two outs, but failed to capitalize when Carter waved at an 88 mph slider that was low and out of the strike zone.
Another opportunity in the fourth inning with runners at second and third with one out went nowhere as Gallardo induced a soft grounder from Gonzalez that forced the runners to hold, and then an easy infield fly from center fielder Jake Marisnick.
NOTES: Rangers RHP Derek Hollad (left shoulder) was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Holland left Friday’s home opener with a subscapularis strain. He is not expected to throw for four weeks. … LF Ryan Rua (right ankle) was placed on the 15-day DL. He left Friday’s game with a sprained right ankle suffered while fielding a ball. … RF Shin-Soo Choo (back) did not play after leaving Friday’s game with back spasms. He is day-to-day. … The Rangers recalled RHP Jon Edwards from Triple-A Round Rock and purchased the contract of OF Carlos Peguero from Round Rock. Peguero made his season debut in right field in place of Choo. … Texas claimed RHP Stolmy Pimentel off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rangers transferred RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (elbow) from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. Pimentel is expected to report to the club Sunday. … Astros RHP Josh Fields (groin) was expected to make his first rehab appearance Saturday night with Triple-A Fresno. … RHP Brad Peacock, who threw 4 2/3 hitless innings and 87 pitches on Thursday with Triple-A Fresno, needs at least one more minor-league rehab start before he could return to the rotation.