ARLINGTON, Texas – The Texas Rangers apparently aren't big on drama.
There was a lot of build-up leading up to the four-game series between the Rangers and the Houston Astros with the lead in the American League West up for grabs.
But the four-game set turned into a no-contest as the Rangers dominated the series, winning all four games with the final two coming in laughers. Thursday night the Rangers completed the four-game roll with an 8-2 thumping of Houston.
The rout pushed the Texas lead in the American League West to 2 ½ games, which is the largest division lead the Rangers have had since Aug. 28, 2013.
The series also brought back memories to earlier this decade when the Rangers dominated their Silver Boot foes on a regular basis. Texas has now won seven straight against the Astros and is 12-4 against Houston with three games remaining next weekend in Houston.
The Rangers outscored Houston 33-13 in the series and were better in starting pitching, relief pitching, timely hitting, baserunning, defense and whatever other metric you want to throw out there.
Add it all up and it was a Texas-sized beating in the series.
"It was definitely a complete series for us," said Mitch Moreland, who provided the only offense Texas would need Thursday night with a three-run homer off Lance McCullers in the third inning. "Each game seemed like a complete win. We threw the ball well. We played good defense. We created a lot of opportunities on the offensive side and we were able to capitalize. That's what good teams do. We were able do that all the way through the series."
Thursday night it was starter Colby Lewis (16-8) setting the tone with six innings of two-run ball. The bullpen, which allowed just two runs in the series with both of them coming late in Wednesday's 14-3 win, followed Lewis with three scoreless innings.
The offense also followed the never ever quit mantra by continuing to tack on runs after Moreland's homer gave them an early 3-0 lead. Houston scored twice in the fourth off Lewis to make it a 3-2 game, but the Rangers were able to manufacture two runs in the seventh to get some breathing room and then blew things open with three runs in the eighth.
The Rangers finished with 10 hits, with Shin-Soo Choo collecting four hits and two RBI and Adrian Beltre adding two hits and two RBI.
"I'm not really a stat person," said Choo, who is now hitting a season high .267. "I just care about winning. Even if I go 0 for 4, if we're winning I feel good. Houston's a great team. The pitching's good. The hitting's good. A lot of energy, a lot of young talent. I think we have more experience than Houston. We know how to play big games."
But as good as the Rangers feel, they know what happens in the middle of September doesn't mean anything if the Rangers don't play well over the final 16 games of the season.
It all starts again for the Rangers Friday night when Seattle comes to town for a three-game series.
"September's never easy," said Texas manager Jeff Banister, whose team is now 11-5 in September. "Chasing a pennant's never easy. There's nothing easy about it. It takes supreme focus. It's not looking up. We can't exhale. We can celebrate the win tonight. When we go to sleep we get back in the morning and get ready to do it again. You can never look back. If you look back someone's coming after you. That club over there's not going to lay down."
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