The Houston Astros scored two late runs to defeat Texas 5-3 on Thursday and avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Rangers.
Hunter Pence hit a tiebreaking homer off Texas reliever Jason Jennings in the eighth and Michael Bourn added an RBI triple in the same inning to put Houston two runs clear in the interleague game.
The home run was a special one for Pence, who grew up in Arlington, Texas.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“Every time I play here, it’s a little special because I have the memory of coming here as a boy and growing up watching from the stands,” Pence told reporters. “It’s something special every time I play on this ball field.”
The American League West-leading Rangers (37-28) advanced runners to scoring position in the eighth and ninth, but could not bring them home.
Houston (30-34), who lost their first five games against Texas and languish at the bottom of the National League Central, started to claw their way back from an early 3-0 deficit through RBIs from Humberto Quintero and Carlos Lee in the fifth and sixth.
A passed ball in the sixth allowed Miguel Tejada to tie the game at 3-3.
Houston pitcher Brandon Backe allowed three runs over four innings in his first start of the season before four relievers combined to finish the game. Backe had made four relief appearances after returning from a rib injury that kept him out most of the year.
Texas took an lead early through solo home runs from Michael Young and Chris Davis.
Rangers starter Vicente Padilla, who entered the game having won four of his last five starts, allowed three runs over six innings and took a “no-decision.”
BLUE JAYS 8, PHILLIES 7
At Philadelphia, Rod Barajas hit the winning homer leading off the ninth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies, completing a three-game sweep of the World Series champions.
The injury-riddled Blue Jays were 0-6 in interleague play this season when they arrived in Philadelphia.
The Phillies dropped to 13-19 at home, but remain three games clear atop the National League East division thanks to a major league-best 23-9 record on the road.
After the Phillies rallied for two runs in the eighth, pinch hitter Barajas drove one out to straightaway center. Barajas, who played for the Phillies in 2007, had a key hit in each game of the series despite being booed whenever he came to the plate.
MARLINS 2, RED SOX 1
In Boston, Dan Uggla and Ronny Paulino homered in the second inning and that proved enough for Florida to edge Boston in a rain-shortened six-inning game.
Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco pitched five solid innings, limiting Boston to a homer in the first while striking out five.
DODGERS 3, ATHLETICS 2
In Los Angeles, Orlando Hudson homered and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta drove in the go-ahead run as Los Angeles edged Oakland.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre earned his 2,195th regular-season victory, passing Sparky Anderson for fifth on the career list.
Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler gave up a one-out double in the seventh, then a walk. Loretta, hitless in his previous 14 at-bats as a pinch hitter, singled to left field to snap a 2-2 tie.
BRAVES 7, REDS 0
In Cincinnati, pitcher Tommy Hanson allowed just three hits in six impressive innings, helping Atlanta crunch a punchless Cincinnati in the day’s only National League game.
One of baseball’s top pitching prospects, Hanson escaped two jams in his third career start. He also shone with the bat, getting his first major league hit and RBI.
In other interleague games it was:
• Tigers 6, Cardinals 3
• Rockies 4, Rays 3
• Twins 5, Pirates 1
• Cubs 6, White Sox 5
• Orioles 5, Mets 4
• Padres 4, Mariners 3, 10 innings
• Diamondbacks 12, Royals 5
• Nationals 3, Yankees 0
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