Storming into 1st Place

Adrian Beltre (above) had a pair of hits Thursday night, while Shin-Soo Choo (below) went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, and Mitch Moreland (bottom) belted a key three-run homer as the red-hot Rangers completed a three-game sweep over their cross-state rivals the Astros and moved 2-1/2 games on top in the AL West. The Rangers are rolling, while Houston, which controlled the division almost all year, is in a tailspin, going 2 & 8 in their last 10 games.
Despite a wave of injuries -- starting with the season-long loss of their ace Yu Darvish -- the Rangers hung on the fringes of the wild card race for most of the season. Now, with a pitching staff bolstered by former Phillie Cole Hamels, plus bounceback seasons from Prince Fielder and Choo, the Rangers have caught fire at the right time. They've won five in a row and look like they're on their way to the playoffs.

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