Official site of Tribune News serving Tomball, Magnolia and Waller

CHICAGO (AP) — Houston Astros right-hander Bud Norris left Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs after being hit in the foot by a line drive in the fourth inning.

Following David DeJesus' second homer of the game, Josh Vitters hit a liner up the middle that deflected off Norris' left foot toward the third base bag.

Norris took two warm-up pitches before shaking his head toward the team trainer. He was replaced by Chuckie Fick. Norris was diagnosed with a left foot contusion.

He gave up six runs on eight hits over 3 1-3 innings and left trailing 6-1. He has now gone 13 consecutive starts without a win.

NEW YORK (AP) — Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington has no problem with his offense. It's the New York Yankees pitchers who are causing the trouble.

Freddy Garcia worked around two homers by Josh Hamilton to remain undefeated against Texas for eight years and the Yankees beat the Rangers for the third straight night, 3-2 on Wednesday.

The Rangers have been limited to four runs in the first three games of the four-game series between the teams with the best records in the AL.

"I wasn't expecting that. But, once again, pitching stops everything," Washington said. "You've got to give them credit. Their pitching stopped us. That's the difference right there."

Hamilton became the second player to reach 100 RBIs this season — Detroit's Miguel Cabrera was first — with his career-high 33rd homer, a line drive to right in the fourth inning. His majestic drive in the sixth was all Texas could muster in their eighth straight loss in the Bronx.

The lefty slugger had a shot for a third homer but struck out against Rafael Soriano in the ninth inning of a game that was delayed by rain 1 hour, 45 minutes at the start.

"When you're seeing the ball good, you feel like you can pretty much hit anything," Hamilton said. "But, at that point in the game, you just want to get somebody on base and give yourself a chance to tie the ballgame up."

Nick Swisher gave the Yankees the lead with an RBI double off Scott Feldman in a three-run third inning. Swisher put the Yankees ahead in the first two games, too. He hit a grand slam Monday and a two-run shot Tuesday night in a matchup between the teams with the best records in the AL.

Garcia (7-5) matched David Phelps and Hiroki Kuroda with another stellar start for the Yankees. He followed up Kuroda's two-hitter Tuesday by giving up four hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Garcia has not lost to the Rangers since 2004, going 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA in six starts coming in.

"Our guys have done a tremendous job," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I applaud our pitchers."

A well-rested bullpen then finished for the Yankees' seventh win in eight games.

Boone Logan got one out. David Robertson struck out two in a perfect eighth and, after the strikeout of Hamilton, Soriano worked around a throwing error by Eric Chavez for his 29th save.

With second baseman Robinson Cano getting a night off because of a stiff neck, Mark Teixeira serving as the designated hitter. Alex Rodriguez out with a broken hand, Derek Jeter was the only regular in the infield, and the Rangers tested the group in the fourth inning.

After Hamilton's homer, Adrian Beltre singled. Nelson Cruz then hit a grounder to Chavez, who chose to try for the force at second but his throw was late. Fill-in second baseman Jayson Nix's relay to Swisher, the substitute first baseman, was late, putting runners on first and second.

David Murphy walked to load the bases but Garcia got Geovany Soto to hit a grounder to Jeter. Swisher fell while stretching to keep his foot on the base and completed the 6-4-3 double play.

"Once again, Freddy made a pitch," Washington said. "He did exactly what you would like to see a pitcher do, make sure you get that ground ball, and he got it and got out of the inning."

Curtis Granderson had a sacrifice fly and Chavez added an RBI single, the first of his three hits.

But Feldman (6-8) pitched out of trouble in the fourth, fifth and six innings, working around three walks and two hits. In six innings overall, he allowed three runs, seven hits and four walks. He struck out seven.

"I didn't feel I was throwing the ball bad, even when that (the third inning) was going on". I just tried to keep doing what I was doing, and the defense made some plays behind me. They just got one more than us tonight."

Hamilton pulled the Rangers to 3-2 in the sixth, launching a mega-homer way up the bleachers in right. It was his third multihomer game this season.

Ian Kinsler was ejected by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes. He is 0 for 11 in the series.

NOTES: Rangers RHP Koji Uehara (strained right lat muscle) threw 20 pitches in batting practice without problems at Double-A Frisco. The plan is for him to throw 30 in a BP session Saturday. ... Rodriguez (broken left hand) will have another X-ray on Sunday. He said the results will help set the next steps in his rehabilitation. ... Hamilton had a four-homer game this season at Baltimore on May 8. ... Jeter has an 11-game hitting streak. ... Rangers INF Michael Young was given a day off from the starting lineup. He flied out in the seventh as a pinch-hitter and played second base in the ninth as Texas lost its DH spot. ... Rain knocked out the TV signal in the press box with one out to go in Seattle ace Felix Hernandez's perfect game.

CHICAGO (AP) — It's been a struggle all season for Bud Norris to get in the win column.

Now he's struggling to just stay on the field.

Norris was battered for three home runs before getting hit with a line drive and exiting early on Wednesday, and the Houston Astros lost to the Chicago Cubs 7-2.

David DeJesus hit two home runs and Justin Germano breezed through six innings to help Chicago win the three-game series.

Norris (5-10) allowed six runs on eight hits over 3 1-3 innings and hasn't won since May 21.

Following DeJesus' second homer, Josh Vitters hit a liner up the middle that deflected off Norris' foot toward the third base bag. After two warm-up pitches, Norris bent over, shook his head toward the team trainer and exited the game. He was diagnosed with a left foot contusion.

"It really squared up my foot pretty good," Norris said. "I knew with my landing foot it wasn't going to be pretty. I'm glad I came out because I didn't want to hurt it any worse than it was."

Astros manager Brad Mills said Norris will be re-evaluated Friday.

Norris' winless streak extended to 13 starts.

"I just felt like I was inconsistent and that all the mistakes I made got punished," he said. "It's just frustrating because you're trying to make good pitches."

The Astros, owners of the worst record in baseball, have dropped 26 of their last 29 road games and are 12-48 away from home this season.

A Houston offense that scored 10 runs the day before was stymied by Germano (2-2), who was removed after giving up a single and a walk in the sixth. James Russell entered in relief and loaded the bases, but escaped the jam giving up just one run.

Germano was charged with two runs on five hits over 6 1-3 innings. He walked one and struck out six, including the side in the fourth.

"He was throwing every pitch that he wanted for strikes," Jose Altuve said. "He was dominating the whole game long."

Altuve had three singles for Houston, but Marwin Gonzalez followed by hitting into a double play all three times.

Scott Moore homered leading off the second for Houston for his second homer in as many days. He had three extra-base hits Tuesday.

Starlin Castro also homered among his three hits for Chicago, which won for just the third time in 15 games. The Cubs avoided falling to a season-worst 26 games under .500.

DeJesus' third-inning homer was his first in 54 career games at Wrigley Field. And he didn't waste any time notching his second career Wrigley homer, blasting the first pitch of his next at-bat out to center field.

"After the first at-bat, I felt confident that I saw all of (Norris') pitches," DeJesus said. "I just wanted to be aggressive on him, I knew he'd pump a lot of first-pitch heaters right down the middle."

He tied a career best with four hits and drove in three runs, reaching base five times. Astros reliever Chuckie Fick was booed in the sixth for intentionally walking DeJesus with runners on second and third.

Castro hit a two-run shot in the third, his 12th of the season.

Chicago's Brett Jackson tied the game at 1 with a two-out triple in the second inning. The low liner skipped past center fielder Brandon Barnes and Castro trotted home from third.

It was Jackson's first career RBI. He also doubled in the sixth. The 24-year-old has struggled since being called up from Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 5. He was just 4 for 28 with 16 strikeouts before the triple.

Notes: The Cubs fired vice president of player personnel Oneri Fleita. Fleita had been with the organization since 1995. . Astros RHP Francisco Cordero flew to Miami to complete his U.S. Citizenship. Cordero has been on the 15-day disabled list since Aug. 3 with a sprained toe ligament. He was acquired from Toronto on July 20. . After an off-day Thursday, Travis Wood (4-8, 4.52 ERA) pitches the series opener for the Cubs in Cincinnati against the Reds' Bronson Arroyo (8-7, 3.95). . Dallas Keuchel (1-4, 5.29) will start for Houston at home on Friday against Arizona's Wade Miley (12-8, 3.02).

SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) — Hours after Roger Clemens agreed to join the Sugar Land Skeeters, he was back on the field playing in an over-50 softball league.

And the ultra-competitive Clemens, now a half-century old, was quick to point out just how well he did against that group of geezers.

"I hit two homers, by the way," he said.

Things will be a bit tougher on Saturday when he is scheduled to start for the independent Atlantic League team at home against Bridgeport. The right-hander agreed to play for the team on Monday and was introduced on Tuesday.

Whether this all leads to Clemens pitching in the major leagues — the seven-time Cy Young Award winner played that down, conceding he's nowhere near big league pitching shape.

"I'm 50 years old. We're just going to go out and have fun with this and make it fun for the fans," said Clemens, who has a touch of gray stubble on his chin but still sports a shock of blond highlights in his hair.

Clemens didn't understand all the rules of his old-man softball league at first. When he hit his first home run and dashed to first base, his teammates told him to stop. He thought it was because home runs weren't allowed. It turned out that the over-50 set doesn't see the need to run all of the bases on a homer.

"I really play in that league for the exercise and the fun," he said.

He laughed off questions about playing professionally at an age when he qualifies for an AARP card.

"I hope nothing breaks and I hope I don't pull anything," a still fit-looking Clemens said.

Some believe his return to the minor leagues is the first step to another comeback in the major leagues, where he last pitched for the New York Yankees in 2007 at age 45. Clemens is set to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot going to voters late this year. If he plays in a major league game this year, his Hall consideration would be pushed back five years.

He isn't sure how he'll be perceived by voters when his name appears on the ballot.

"Sure, the Hall of Fame is great, I've told people that. But it's not going to change my life either way," he said. "But if there's something there that somebody feels like they have a grudge or want to hold something against you, I can't control that one bit."

Clemens said thinking about a big league comeback is premature.

He dismissed the theory that the minor league appearance was a step on the path to a big league return.

"I've been to the major leagues and back a couple of times," he said. "I've retired and unretired, so I wouldn't consider thinking that far ahead. I'm just going to try to get through Saturday. I think I can compete a little bit."

A return at his age wouldn't be all that outlandish, considering that Jamie Moyer returned from elbow ligament replacement surgery to start for the Colorado Rockies this season. Clemens chuckled when asked about Moyer.

"People are trying to ingrain that in my mind that 50 is now the new 40," he said. "But I'm not buying it because I'm still having to pack myself in a lot of ice."

He says he talks to new Houston Astros owner Jim Crane often but that he has not talked about pitching for the Astros and that he doesn't see that happening.

He isn't committing to playing more than one game for the Skeeters, who play in a Houston suburb, saying he wants to see how Saturday goes first.

Clemens was accused by former personal trainer Brian McNamee in the Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball of using steroids and HGH, allegations Clemens denied before Congress. The Justice Department began an investigation concerning whether Clemens had lied under oath, and in 2010 a grand jury indicted him on two counts of perjury, three counts of making false statements and one count of obstructing Congress.

He was acquitted of all the charges on June 19 after a 10-week trial and has largely stayed out of the public spotlight until now.

He's glad to be talking about baseball again instead of that difficult chapter in his life.

"Everybody has their own opinion and they dwell on that so much," he said. "In between all of that, handling that business up there and doing what was right for me and my family and taking that head on, I was still doing the work that I've always done. So it wasn't gloomy or depressing."

Clemens had two great seasons with the Astros after he turned 40, going 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 2004 to win his record seventh Cy Young Award. He was 13-8 with a career-low 1.87 ERA in 2005.

Tal Smith, a longtime former Astros executive who is now a special advisor to the Skeeters, is one person who wouldn't be surprised if Clemens made a comeback in the majors.

"Knowing Roger and how competitive he is and what great shape he is in, and the fact that Jamie Moyer pitched close to 50 and Nolan Ryan pitched well into his late 40s, if anybody can do it, Roger Clemens can do it," he said.

Clemens earned about $160 million and won 354 games in a 24-year career with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros. His 4,672 strikeouts are third-most and he was named to 11 All-Star games.

Now he will see what he has left for the Skeeters that have a roster which includes former major league pitchers Tim Redding and Scott Kazmir and Jason Lane, a teammate of Clemens' on Houston's 2005 World Series team.

Smith believes this is a great opportunity for Clemens and he thinks it could change some opinions as a possible Hall of Fame vote approaches.

"I hope this helps," Smith said. "I think voters should remember that he's been acquitted of all charged and that he never tested positive. I hope this story dies down in future years."

Clemens and Skeeters manager Gary Gaetti have been talking about this since April. But he received another push toward the field early this summer when he visited Dr. James Andrews in Florida for a checkup.

"He said: 'The MRI looked great. Your shoulder looks like you're 30. You should go pitch — just kidding,'" Clemens said Andrews told him.

It was then that he started thinking he could actually play for the Skeeters. After throwing for the team on Monday, where his fastball was clocked at 87, the multimillionaire got himself a new gig.

"We're going to have fun with this and see if I can get through a few innings without Gary having to go to the bullpen, and we'll see where it goes from there," Clemens said.

Smith takes issue with those who think this is simply a media stunt. He said that the Skeeters regularly sell out Saturday night games and that there were only 500 tickets available for this Saturday's game before Clemens was signed.

"I can understand why he's doing it," Smith said. "He loves baseball. He love the competition. Baseball has been his life and there's no reason he shouldn't try to continue it. If he's successful it just adds to his legend, and if he's not, it was fun."

Well, he's back.

Just when we thought we were rid of the Rocket, he turns up again. In the Atlantic League, of all places.

At age 50.

Roger Clemens just won't go away; he's just fast enough to escape our repeated swats, a survivor above all else. Age didn't stop him from repeatedly retiring and coming back over and over again, a Brett Favre in pinstripes.

Ugly allegations of doping and infidelity failed to slow Clemens down. He even spanked the feds, walking out of the courtroom a free man after being acquitted on all charges that he lied to Congress when he denied ever using performance-enhancing substances.

It was the biggest win of his career.

It should've been enough.

But, no.

On Saturday night, Clemens will start for an independent minor league team in suburban Houston known as the Sugar Land Skeeters, almost five years after he last pitched in the big leagues and with a date on his birth certificate that qualifies him to be a full member of AARP. If this was anyone else, we'd dismiss it as nothing more than a ludicrous stunt. But this is the Rocket, a man whose competitive fire — fueled with a healthy dose of narcissism — leads us to believe anything is possible.

"If I get through Saturday," he said, "we'll see where we go from there."

We hope it leads to going away.

There's nothing feel-good about this comeback story. We've seen it so many times, it's coming across like another tired sequel in the "Twilight Saga." Nine long years ago, Clemens first announced his retirement while pitching for the New York Yankees. He was toasted at stadiums around baseball, soaked up all the cheers, even received a standing ovation from the opponent when he left the field for what everyone thought was the final time in the World Series.

Turns out, he was just getting warmed up.

Clemens came out of retirement a few months later, but his motives seemed genuine. He had a chance to pitch in his adopted hometown of Houston, alongside close friend Andy Pettitte. We cheered.

Then, the following year, Clemens put off retirement again and asked for a whopping $22 million in arbitration. Hmmm. After one of the best seasons of his career, he finally seemed ready to put away his cleats. Uhh, no. Another comeback, this time for a prorated season with the Astros and another hefty paycheck. But wait, there's more.

Showing he had absolutely no scruples, Clemens turned up in the owner's box at Yankee Stadium and signed on for one more partial season in New York.

All along the way, he played the diva role better than Mariah Carey, demanding and getting all sorts of special perks. When his supposed team went on the road, he got to stay at home if it wasn't his turn to pitch. Other players grumbled, realizing Clemens was all in, but only for himself.

We may have marveled at his age-defying skills, but he always seemed like the last guy you'd want to invite over for dinner — surly and detached. A fraud who once complained about having to carry his own bags. An egomaniac whose kids all have names beginning with the letter K, as in strikeout.

What happened over the last five years forever doused the Rocket's sizzle for many of us.

He had a starring role in the Mitchell Report, the investigation of steroid use in baseball. He went before Congress to vehemently deny ever being involved in that sort of chicanery, though it sure seemed to explain how he was just as overpowering — if not more so — in his 40s as he had been in his 20s. Unrelated, there were also allegations of a long-term affair with troubled country singer Mindy McCready that began when she was in her teens, further sullying a player who always portrayed himself as a family man.

In fairness to Clemens, marital infidelity is hardly unique and he never tested positive for performance enhancers. His main accuser was about as credible as Pee Wee Herman starring in "The Sopranos," which is surely why the jury delivered its verdict — not guilty, on all counts. That's also why, in keeping with the American tradition of jurisprudence, we must refrain from lumping Clemens in with all the other admitted dopers from one of baseball's darkest eras. (And, just in case you were wondering, the Atlantic League has the same drug-testing procedures and penalties as the affiliated minor leagues, according to Joe Klein, the executive director.)

That said, we have no desire to see Clemens don another big league uniform, which is surely what this is all about. He tries to downplay this latest comeback as nothing more than a one-off, a chance to bring a little cheer to his Houston-area fans, but we're not fooled. There will surely be big league scouts in the stands Saturday night, eager to see if the Rocket has anything left in that right arm. Even if it's just enough to pitch an inning or two at a time, there would likely be a contending team with contract in hand, ready to feed his ego and sign him up for a playoff run.

"If you're going to go and play, the one thing on his mind is trying to get back to the major leagues," said Tony DeFrancesco, interim manager of the Houston Astros.

Clemens repeatedly shrugged off that sort of talk.

"I'm nowhere near where I need to be to compete the way I want," he insisted. "We just want to have some fun."

Cynically, we wonder if Clemens has other motives for going back to the mound. He's eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot this winter, but there are surely plenty of voters unwilling to put a check beside his name, innocent verdict or not. If he's turned down once, it might be easier to keep voting him down, as is the case with Mark McGwire.

But, if Clemens makes it back to the big leagues, the five-year window for Cooperstown eligibility starts over. Maybe some of the hard feelings will have softened by 2017 or 2018, especially if Clemens has tacked on one more comeback, the most improbable one of all, to his resume.

It's all too much to take.

Please, Roger, go away.

This time for good.

Paul Newberry is a national writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers starting pitcher Scott Feldman worked out of a rough stretch in May and June when he lost six straight by reeling off six consecutive victories.

After a 5-3 loss to the Orioles on Tuesday in which he gave up five runs on seven hits over five innings, he's now dropped three in a row.

No reason to panic, his manager said, even after the Rangers' right-hander gave up two big run-scoring hits with two outs, including Nate McLouth's two-run home run, in the Orioles' decisive four-run fifth inning.

Manny Machado had a run-scoring triple and J.J. Hardy's two-out double plated another run for Baltimore in the inning, which was followed with two shutdown innings by Chris Tillman (6-2).

"I think if there's any pitch he'd want to take back in that inning, it would be the one to McLouth," manager Ron Washington said. "But other than that, there was no indication they were going to put four runs on the board, because both he and Tillman were pitching very well."

Tillman worked 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out seven before giving way to the bullpen, which now has a 1.57 ERA in the last 18 games.

The Orioles' right-hander kept Rangers hitters off-balance with effective off-speed pitches and good command of his fastball.

That follows a performance two years ago in which Tillman held the Rangers to two runs on two hits and a walk over a career-high 7 1/3 innings.

Tillman has held the Rangers to a .203 average in three starts.

"It ain't easy," said Tillman, who improved to 6-2 on the season with a 3.71 ERA and 4-1 on the road.

"These guys have a great lineup and you have to respect that whether you're ahead or behind."

Jim Johnson worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his 38th save.

"Chris was good," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He had command of the breaking ball early, and threw the fastball on both sides of the plate."

The Rangers scored two on Geovany Soto's two-run homer in the seventh inning to close a 5-1 deficit to two and then put the tying run on base, but Pedro Strop struck out Josh Hamilton on a slider to end the threat.

David Murphy, 10 for 19 with a homer and three doubles and six RBI in his previous five games, went 1 for 4 on Tuesday, including a groundout with a runner on base to end the Rangers' half of the eighth.

"Pedy got a couple of big outs for us," Showalter said. The bullpen "has been a constant for us. We've been able to share the load and pass it around.

"We've got a lot of people we have confidence in."

Feldman struck out four and walked one while ending a string of good performances by Rangers pitching, which entered Tuesday having allowed two runs or less in three consecutive games and just four total in the three-game winning streak.

The starting rotation had posted a 2.96 ERA in the previous seven games.

"I thought he made a real good pitch to Hardy and he went down and poked it to right field," Washington said. "That's a part of baseball, I think Scott has been throwing the ball really well. That's just the way it went tonight."

The AL West-division leading Rangers lost a game to Los Angeles in the standings and lead the Angels by eight games. Oakland, which started the evening six back, were playing late at home against Minnesota.

The Orioles broke loose for four runs in the fifth. Machado's triple scored Omar Quintanilla and McLouth sent a Feldman pitch into the left-field seats for a two-run home run that made the score 5-1.

"All you're trying to do in that situation is limit the damage," Feldman said. "Even after giving up that hit to Hardy, we're still in the game. I just made a bad pitch to McLouth."

The Rangers' Ian Kinsler hit his 14th home run of the season to tie the game in the third on a 1-0 pitch.

Orioles took a first-inning lead by scoring an unearned run with two outs.

McLouth walked, stole second and advanced to third on an error when Geovany Soto's throw sailed into center field. He scored on Feldman's wild pitch.

Notes: Entering the game, three of the top 22 qualifiers in ERA as relievers in the AL were Orioles. Pedro Strop (2nd, 1.49), Darren O'Day (17th, 2.49) and Troy Patton (22nd, 2.58). . The Rangers' Adrian Beltre, hitting .235 in his previous 30 games, went 2 for 4 on Tuesday. . The Orioles have won 12 consecutive one-run games. The franchise has done that on three other occasions, 1964, 1970 and 1979. Baltimore went to the World Series in 1970 and '79 and won 97 games and finished two games back of eventual World Series champion New York Yankees in '64. . Rangers reliever Michael Kirkman extended a scoreless innings streak to seven in his last six games after holding the Orioles to no runs in two innings. Kirkman also has stranded 11 of the last 13 inherited runners, including three in a game three times.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A large contingent of family and friends waited outside the visitor's clubhouse for Lucas Harrell. After getting knocked around, the Houston Astros rookie pitcher wasn't all that anxious to see everyone.

Harrell allowed hits to six of the first seven batters in a four-run first inning that was plenty of cushion for Adam Wainwright, who threw a five-hitter and matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in the St. Louis Cardinals' 7-0 victory on Tuesday night.

"I feel like I let a lot of people down," Harrell said after giving up six runs in five innings. "That's definitely not my best and I can't wait to come back here and have a better outing.

"Frustrating, disappointing — all those things come into play," he said.

Harrell (10-9) is from Springfield, Mo., where he led Ozark Mo. High School to the 2004 Missouri state championship,  and spent two days there before his start, visiting family and friends at home. His mother drove him to St. Louis on Tuesday afternoon, arriving about 4 1-2 hours before the first pitch.

"He looked like he was a little fired up," interim manager Tony DeFrancesco said. "I know he had a big group out there and you always want to impress the people you love.

"Unfortunately, he was a little too anxious early," DeFrancesco added.

Skip Schumaker and Yadier Molina had two RBIs apiece for the Cardinals, who capitalized on a pair of walks to open a two-run third. Molina had three hits and Jon Jay had three hits and an RBI.

Harrell said second baseman Jose Altuve was shaded toward the bag on the Schumaker at-bat, and couldn't quite stop a grounder into right that Harrell had thought might have been a double-play ball.

"They got a lot of weak contact," Harrell said. "I felt like they hit two balls hard all game. It was just kind of a tough one."

Wainwright threw his second shutout and third complete game of the season. Two of the complete games have come during a string of six consecutive victories at home with a 1.42 ERA. He pitched a five-hitter on Aug. 4, a 6-1 victory over the Brewers.

Wainwright is 12-1 with a 1.58 ERA for his career against Houston. The Astros got two-out hits in the ninth from Justin Maxwell and Jason Castro in a bid to spoil the shutout before Wainwright fanned Ben Francisco on his 105th pitch.

The Astros have been outscored 15-1 in two games under DeFrancesco, who held a team meeting prior to the game in an effort to lift the stripped-down franchise out of the doldrums. Houston is just 7-41 since June 28.

"It's kind of like you get beat down and the big guy keeps hitting you," DeFrancesco said before the game. "To bounce back in this game is difficult when you have young players that have limited time in the major leagues.

"The media, the lights, the crowd — that stuff as a coach in the minor leagues you really can't teach that until you get into this place and feel it for the first time," he added.

Tyler Greene, a former Cardinals first-round pick dealt to Houston earlier this year for a player to be named, struck out twice and grounded out in his first game in St. Louis as a visitor.

Harrell (10-9) had allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last seven starts, but balked home the first run and got a visit from pitching coach Doug Brocail after facing just five hitters. The right-hander retired just five of the first 15 batters before settling down, allowing a walk and sacrifice fly the last 10 hitters.

"My last two innings I got back to really making good pitches and keeping the ball down and getting outs," Harrell said. "That's what I can take away from this one."

The day after their 6-3, 19-inning loss to the Pirates — the longest game in the majors this season — manager Mike Matheny led a delegation to help rebuild tornado-ravaged Joplin, Mo., and other Cardinals played charity golf.

Jay doubled to start the bottom of the first, and with one out St. Louis got five straight singles from Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, David Freese, Molina and Schumaker. Craig and Freese walked to start the third, Molina followed with an RBI single and Rafael Furcal added a sacrifice fly.

The Astros were shut out for the 12th time.

NOTES: Bud Norris (5-10, 5.23) is 7-3 for his career against the Cardinals heading into Wednesday night's start against Kyle Lohse (12-2, 2.61). ... Carlos Beltran, 4 for 23 on the homestand and bothered by a right hand injury, missed his second start in three games but is not expected to be out long. ... The Cardinals are 56-14 when scoring more than three runs. ... Craig had a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and also walked three times. ... Craig is 10 for 23 (.435) against Houston this season and 21-48 for his career with five homers and 17 RBIs.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — David Freese's three-run homer snapped the Cardinals' seven-game longball drought and St. Louis beat the Houston Astros 13-5 Thursday to complete a three-game sweep.

Freese and Matt Holliday each had four RBIs and Allen Craig had three hits and three RBIs. The Cardinals shrugged aside a 4-0, fourth-inning deficit and sent Houston to its seventh straight loss.

The Astros are 0-4 while getting outscored 32-8 since interim manager Tony DeFrancesco replaced Brad Mills as leader of the stripped-down roster. Houston has won just seven of its last 50 overall.

Ben Francisco had three hits for the Astros, who were swept for the third time this month and 12th overall.

Holliday's three-run double in the fifth inning was the go-ahead blow.

Jake Westbrook (13-9) won for the fourth time in five starts despite struggles with control two days after getting a new contract for next season with a mutual option for 2014.

Westbrook surrendered five runs on seven hits, two walks and two hit batters in five innings, ending a string of 13 consecutive starts of at least six innings.

Astros rookie lefty Dallas Keuchel (1-6) retired 11 of the first 12 batters, but six of his last seven reached base, one on an error. He earned his first career RBI on a sacrifice fly in the second, but was charged with five earned runs in four-plus innings.

The Cardinals totaled 17 hits and were 10 for 14 with runners in scoring position against five pitchers, one off their season best, to sweep the Astros for the first time since April 2009 and wrap up a 6-3 homestand with a string of contenders awaiting.

St. Louis starts a 10-game trip Friday night with three games at NL Central-leading Cincinnati, followed by three at wild card-contending Pittsburgh and four at NL East-leading Washington.

Like Westbrook, the 24-year-old Keuchel entered with decent recent numbers with three consecutive quality starts. He's 0-6 in nine starts since beating the Indians with a six-hitter on June 23.

Freese's 16th homer capped a two-out rally in the fourth. The Astros elected to pitch to Freese instead of Daniel Descalso, just 3 for 21 during the homestand to that point and batting .226.

The first five Cardinals reached safely to start the fifth, including an error. Holliday had been just 5 for 36 with two RBIs on the homestand, put St. Louis ahead 7-5 with his double.

NOTES: Craig has a 12-game hitting streak. He is batting .354 during his hitting streak with a homer, six doubles and six RBIs, raising his average to .313. ... Tyler Greene, traded from the Cardinals to Houston earlier this month, was 0 for 7 with five strikeouts in the series. Greene was a first-round pick in 2005 and became a fan target after numerous failures in St. Louis. ... ... Brett Wallace is 7 for 14 against Westbrook with four RBIs. ... Astros OF Justin Maxwell missed his second straight start with a bruised right index finger. ... Lance Lynn (13-5, 3.73 ERA) faces Mat Latos (10-3, 3.56) in the series opener against the Reds. ... The Astros open a three-game road series against the Mets, with Jordan Lyles (2-10, 5.70) set to start the opener against Jonathan Niese (10-6, 3.82).

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ron Washington was in a grateful mood after his 500th win as manager of the Texas Rangers.

Josh Hamilton had five RBIs and Mitch Moreland doubled in the go-ahead run during a six-run eighth inning that carried Texas to a 10-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

"I think you have to give a lot of credit to the organization, the players, the coaches and everyone," said Washington, in his sixth season as a manager — all with the Rangers. "We got there fast. I didn't get there alone.

"I just hope I can be here and win 500 more."

Adrian Beltre had three hits, including his fourth homer in two days, and scored the tiebreaking run on Moreland's drive to left-center.

Minnesota starter Scott Diamond was ejected in the third by plate umpire Wally Bell after throwing a pitch behind Hamilton's head. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire also was tossed after immediately protesting Bell's decision.

"Anytime in an umpire's judgment they go in the head area, we have to take care of business. I felt at the time that he had to be ejected for it," Bell said.

Rangers starter Roy Oswalt had hit slugger Joe Mauer in the back in the preceding half-inning.

"I'm not going to get into that," Gardenhire said. "Everybody saw that, so I don't have to say anything about it.

"I've never seen it happen like that before."

A pair of Twins errors led to five unearned runs in the eighth as the AL West leaders sent 11 batters to the plate to break a 4-all tie. Geovany Soto, Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus also had RBIs in the inning.

Moreland entered in the sixth to replace designated hitter Michael Young, who left to witness the birth of his third son.

Beltre is hitting .529 with four home runs, two doubles and six RBIs in his last four games. He homered three times Wednesday night, twice in a nine-run fourth inning, and had five RBIs during a 12-3 victory over Baltimore.

Jared Burton (1-1) took the loss after giving up six runs on three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.

Mike Adams (3-3) worked a scoreless eighth for the win. Joe Nathan entered in the ninth after Tanner Scheppers gave up two runs with two outs and converted his 22nd consecutive save opportunity and 25th of the season.

Minnesota left 14 runners on base.

Andrus' error on Denard Span's grounder to shortstop let in the first runs the Rangers' bullpen had given up in 18 innings.

Beltre hit a one-out double in the eighth and Nelson Cruz reached on third baseman Trevor Plouffe's error, setting the stage for Moreland's clutch hit.

David Murphy was intentionally walked to bring up Soto, who hit a grounder that shortstop Pedro Florimon bobbled for an error. Soto was credited with an RBI.

Kinsler drew a bases-loaded walk, Andrus knocked in a run with an infield single and Hamilton added a two-run single.

Oswalt started in place of Yu Darvish, skipped because of tightness in his right quadriceps. The right-hander gave up four runs and seven hits over 5 1-3 innings.

Diamond worked 2 1-3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks.

The Rangers took a 4-2 lead in the fifth on Beltre's 23rd home run and Hamilton's RBI single that scored Kinsler.

Oswalt was pulled after giving up successive hits to Matt Carson and Plouffe in the sixth.

Rangers reliever Michael Kirkman, who had retired 10 consecutive batters over his past three appearances, couldn't keep Oswalt's runners from scoring.

Carson came home on Florimon's groundout and Span tied it with a single.

Hamilton's double in the first scored Kinsler and Andrus to give Texas a 2-1 lead. The 2010 AL MVP is hitting .345 with 17 RBIs in the past 16 games.

"Down the stretch, he is our horse," Washington said. "So is Beltre, so is Moreland, so is Murphy. We've got a pretty good team."

NOTES: Span was back in the lineup after missing the previous nine games with a sore right shoulder sustained while diving for a ball in center field on Aug. 12 against Tampa Bay. ... Minnesota DH Josh Willingham was scratched because of a stiff neck. ... Washington said he doesn't expect catcher Mike Napoli back until Sept. 1. Napoli is on the disabled list with a strained left quadriceps.