Springer, Astros overcome wild Morton start, top Rangers 4-3
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- George Springer hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and the Houston Astros overcame a wild start from Charlie Morton to beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Saturday night.
Morton tied an American League record with four hit batters and had a career-high six walks as the Astros allowed 10 walks, a season high. But the Rangers tied a club record with 17 runners left on base in a nine-inning game, most in the majors without extra innings this season.
The hard-throwing right-hander who had a 10-game winning streak stopped in his previous start gave up two runs without allowing a hit in the second. The only hit Morton surrendered in 3 2/3 innings was a third-inning double from Ronald Guzman that didn't factor in the scoring.
After hitting Rougned Odor and walking Robinson Chirinos and Guzman in the second, Morton struck out Shin-Soo Choo before Delino DeShields hit a chopper up the middle that second baseman Jose Altuve fumbled for an error as Odor scored. Nomar Mazara followed with a sacrifice fly for an unearned run and a 2-2 tie.
Reliever Brad Peacock hit Isiah Kiner-Falefa with his final pitch in the sixth to break Houston's franchise record with five hit batters.
The Rangers also set a club record by getting hit five times but the worst hitting team in the majors with runners in scoring position went 1 for 17 in those situations. Texas stranded 12 runners in scoring position.
Tony Sipp (1-0) struck out the first three hitters he faced in the sixth and seventh, and Hector Rondon got pinch-hitter Adrian Beltre to bounce into a game-ending double play for his second save.
Springer's go-ahead single landed just in front of a sprinting Joey Gallo in left field against Jose Leclerc (1-2) after Guzman's RBI single had pulled Texas even in the fifth.
Max Stassi homered leading off the fifth for Houston, and Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel had run-scoring hits in the first.
Three of Houston's walks went to Choo, who reached base in his 25th straight game to extend his majors-leading streak.
SHORT HOPS
The last AL pitcher to hit four batters in a game was Orlando Hernandez with the Chicago White Sox in 2005. Morton now shares the franchise record with the late Darryl Kile, who hit four against St. Louis in 1996. ... Texas' Jurickson Profar was hit twice in a game for the first time in his career.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: SS Carlos Correa missed a third straight game with soreness on his right side. Manager A.J. Hinch said Correa could be available Sunday if he doesn't start, and the club is optimistic he will be ready after an off day Monday.
Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus took live batting practice for the second straight day and will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Monday. He broke his right elbow when he was hit by a pitch April 11 against the LA Angels.
UP NEXT
The Astros go for a four-game sweep with LHP Dallas Keuchel (3-8, 4.13 ERA), who is tied for the major league lead in losses. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner pitched seven scoreless innings against Texas in his most recent victory May 13. LHP Matt Moore (1-5, 7.47) is 0-3 in six home starts for the Rangers after an NL-leading 15 losses last year with San Francisco.
