Keuchel struggles as Astros lose fourth straight

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HOUSTON — Cole Hamels tied a club record by winning his 12th straight decision as the Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Astros with a 9-2 victory on Sunday afternoon.

Hamels allowed two runs in eight innings to tie the record set by Bobby Witt in 1990. The streak stretches over 19 starts with two no-decisions, and the Rangers are 17-2 in that stretch.

The Rangers beat Dallas Keuchel, who allowed seven runs in six innings. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is now 0-5 with a 7.78 ERA in his last seven starts.

This is the second straight three-game sweep by the Rangers against the Astros this season. They took three in Arlington on April 19-21 and have won 19 of their last 25 in the rivalry series.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDHit by pitch starts rally: Keuchel began the game by retiring the first six hitters and then got ahead 0-2 on Ryan Rua to start the third. But Keuchel hit him in the foot with an 0-2 slider, and that’s how it all started. Bobby Wilson followed with an RBI double and scored on a two-out single by Ian Desmond. After Prince Fielder walked, Adrian Beltre hit a two-run double and Nomar Mazara’s single knocked in Beltre.

Mazara stands out: Mazara played eight innings in left field for the Rangers in his second start there. He was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and also made a …

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