Rangers 7, Astros 6: Benches Clear in Feldman's Return

Welcome back Mr. Feldman! In his return from the disabled list, Scott Feldman went 5 2/3 innings giving up four earned runs on nine hits. While not an awe-inspiring effort, Feldman was able to work around a number of base runners and give the Astros offense a chance to win the game.

Rougned Odor got the scoring started with a 2-run HR in the 3rd to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead.

The Rangers added two more runs in the top of the sixth highlighted by a Josh Hamilton double and a Robinson Chirinos solo HR to make it a 4-0 Rangers lead.

The Astros offense didn’t get to work until after Rangers starter Colby Lewis was pulled from the game with one out in the eighth. Tanner Scheppers quickly grabbed the second out of the inning before Houston strung three hits together and capitalized on an Elvis Andrus error to put up 3 runs. L.J. Hoes came to the plate with men on second and third and a chance to take the lead, but grounded out to end the inning leaving the score at 5-4 heading to the 9th.

In the top of the ninth with the game still in the balance, tensions boiled over as Odor and Hank Conger exchanged words. It appears Conger told Odor to get in the batters box and things escalated quickly from there as benches cleared and the teams met at home plate. No punches were thrown and everyone will be able to avoid suspensions, but A J Hinch and Rangers Manager Jeff Banister did have a very heating exchange of words to highlight the festivities.

Unfortunately the altercation was just what the Rangers and Odor needed to kick things back into gear, as they answered the Astros eighth inning rally with a couple of insurance runs to push the score to 7-4. Highlighting the effort was none other than Odor, who led off the inning by smashing a triple that rolled up Tal’s hill.

The Astros still had a little fight left in them as Rasmus doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Conger followed with a two run homer to cut the lead to one once again. Sadly, that is where the comeback came to an end, as the Astros ultimately fell to the Rangers 7-6.

Dallas Keuchel and Yovani Gallardo will look to calm the tensions tomorrow as the two aces take the mound in the rubber match of this three game series in what is set up to be an old fashioned pitchers duel.