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52-53 - Beltre adds to legend, leads Rangers to win while hitting cycle

Adrian Beltre is my favorite and the Rangers are only two games back of a playoff spot

By ghostofErikThompson
Our Beltre
Our Beltre
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

It was precarious at times, but the Rangers smacked the Houston Astros around as they collected 15 hits, drew five walks (three of those by abandoned former Astros product Delino DeShields), and mashed a couple of dongs. Combining all of that, the Rangers scored 12 runs as they took the opener from Houston.

Texas scored six runs in the first inning off of rookie phenom Lance McCullers. The six runs are the most that the Rangers have scored in the first frame since 2012. McCullers lasted a total of 1/3 innings which means the Astros were forced to go with tomorrow's starter, Mike Fiers, for five innings.

Every Ranger reached base at least twice except for Josh Hamilton but he is forgiven because he hit the game-winner yesterday.

At 52-53, the Rangers can reach .500 with a win tomorrow. They haven't been at .500 or better since Independence Day. With the win tonight, the Rangers trail the Blue Jays and Twins by just two games for the final Wild Card spot. The Astros are now only 7 games ahead of Texas in the AL West.

Colby Lewis wasn't very good but he gave the Rangers six innings and he won his 12th game of the season which, though an obsolete stat, snuck up on me and is pretty cool.

Oh yeah, Adrian Beltre hit for the cycle. He did it in the first five innings. He went triple, double, single, home run. That makes three cycles for Beltre. He also hit for the cycle in Sept. 2008 with the Mariners at The Ballpark and on Aug. 2012 as a member of the Rangers. All three of Beltre's cycles have come at The Ballpark.

Player of the Game: There's only been three men in the modern era to hit for three cycles in their career. Two of them did it in the 1930s. The other? After tonight, Adrian Beltre.