Thoughts on a 14-3 Rangers win

Rangers 14, Astros 3

• After two tense, white-knuckle, gutwrenching games to start the series, it is nice to have the Rangers blow out Houston tonight, to make things less stressful.
• Nice, efficient outing from Martin Perez, who needed just 91 pitches to throw 7 IP while allowing just 1 run.  Its funny...the Rangers juggled the rotation to swap Derek Holland and Perez in the rotation, to allow Holland to pitch yesterday on normal rest, reportedly in part to put pressure on the Astros by having the team's top two pitchers face off against Houston in the first two games of the series.  The end result was Holland struggling mightily in a close game yesterday, while Perez cruised in a blowout where the Rangers just on the Astros ace.
• Rookie Andrew Faulkner and Luke Jackson pitched the 8th and 9th innings tonight.  Faulkner had a bumpy outing, allowing a two run Evan Gattis home run, while LuJack had a 1-2-3 9th with a K.
• For the second night in a row, Texas jumped all over the Astros starter early, this time hanging six on Dallas Keuchel in the first inning.  After a pair of singles then an F-8 to start the first, Prince Fielder singled in a run, and then Mike Napoli cleared the bases with a three run homer.  After a Mitch Moreland ground out, Elvis Andrus doubled to set the stage for a Rougned Odor home run, putting Texas up 6-0.  The Rangers never looked back after that.
• The Rangers racked up 16 hits on the day, with Prince Fielder leading the way with a couple of homers along with his RBI single.  Shin-Soo Choo also had three hits, and Elvis, Odor, Beltre and Napoli each had two hits apiece.  Every Ranger starter, other than Mitch Moreland, had a hit...
• Texas is now 1.5 games up in the A.L. West.  Colby Lewis is going against Lance McCullers, Jr., tomorrow, when the Rangers have the opportunity to sweep the series and stake out a 2.5 game lead in the division.