Ure?a proving to be reliable as Rangers settle for split

ARLINGTON -- Prior to Monday’s series finale against the Astros, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was asked what a split of the four-game set would mean for his club.

Entering this series, the Astros had won eight straight games at Globe Life Field, including all three in Arlington during the American League Championship Series.

“Well you’re asking me right now, so I wouldn’t feel good,” Bochy said jokingly. “I wouldn’t feel good at all, in fact, I’m about to puke. … But no, obviously, when you're at home, you're always trying to be better than your opponent."

Obviously, Bochy didn’t actually puke, but he maybe would have wanted to after the Rangers fell 10-5 to the Astros in the series finale at Globe Life Field.

This is the first time Texas has lost back-to-back games this season, as the club settled for a split after taking the first two games in the series. After the Rangers outscored the Astros 17-4 on Friday and Saturday, Houston outscored Texas 13-6 the past two days.

The Rangers led 5-2 entering the second inning, after an offensive ambush of Astros rookie Blair Henley, but Texas starter Andrew Heaney struggled to hold onto the lead, giving up a two-run homer to Yordan Alvarez in the second inning and charged with two more runs in the fourth.

In addition to Heaney’s struggles (6 ER, 3 2/3 innings), Texas’ high-powered offense was held scoreless over the final eight frames as Houston’s bullpen secured the victory.

“It makes it just more frustrating that I know that I just gotta keep it close,” Heaney said of his short outing. “I just never really got into a rhythm, never really got into a good flow. I think that kind of screws up the rest of the team when you’re not giving guys the opportunity to kind of get into their rhythm.

“As good as they are [the Rangers offense], I've got to do my job and give them a better chance to get into the flow of things.”

Though Heaney departed with a one-run lead, it slowly unraveled from there. Brock Burke relieved him to face the heart of the Astros order and quickly gave up an RBI double to Alvarez, a two-run single to Kyle Tucker and another double to Alex Bregman.

The final dagger of the night came when Houston’s Victor Caratini hit a three-run home off Rangers second-year reliever Grant Anderson.

“Burke had Alvarez 0-2 and it looked like a slider just backed up to where he could get to it,” Bochy said. “Anderson comes in and gets a big out and he wasn't hit hard until the home run, he just made a mistake there.”

Though it was a rough couple of days for the Rangers’ pitching staff, especially with Josh Sborz landing on the IL, there was one bright spot: José Ureña.

Ure?a entered in the sixth with the Rangers losing 10-5, but the right-hander dealt four scoreless innings while allowing just one baserunner -- an Alex Bregman single in the top of the ninth -- and striking out four.

He became the first Rangers relief pitcher to log four or more scoreless innings while allowing one or fewer baserunners since Derek Lowe on April 20, 2013 vs. Seattle.

The right-hander signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers ahead of Spring Training and broke camp with the big league club after impressing the staff by allowing just four earned runs in 16 Cactus League innings. He walked just three batters and struck out 14 in that span.

Ure?a has not allowed a run in three relief outings for the Rangers this season (7 1/3 innings).

“[Ure?a] was awesome tonight. He came in and did his job and ate innings,” Heaney said. “He pitched well. He has been doing that all spring and to start the season. He's been awesome, so just happy for him and it's good for the team and good for him moving forward.”