Savage » de Dekkers first major league home run landed in the se

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Robbie Grossman and the Houston Astros finally got to Yu Darvish -- and moved out of last place in the AL West. Grossman snapped an 0-for-28 slide with a career-high four hits as the Astros completed a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers with an 8-4 victory over the All-Star pitcher who dominated them so many times in the past. "The way we came into here, after losing seven in a row, for our guys to respond the way they responded in this three-game series, Im extremely proud of them," manager Bo Porter said. Grossman and rookie George Springer homered for the Astros, who moved into fourth place by a percentage point over slumping Texas. It is the first time in their two seasons since switching leagues that the Astros have not been in fifth place in the five-team AL West after mid-April. "When you look at where were at today, obviously we feel like we have improved as a ballclub," Porter said. "At the same time, when we get to the end of the year, well see where were at. It definitely feels good to be playing good baseball right now." Springer also made an incredible running catch in the third inning. The centre fielder leaped on the warning track, reached over his head and held onto the ball when he slammed into the wall. Houston had 28 runs and 42 hits in the series against its in-state rival that won 17 of 19 against the Astros last season. The Rangers lost for the 10th time in 11 games and have dropped 18 of 21 overall. At 38-53, their .418 winning percentage is the worst in the majors -- just behind Arizona and Houston, both 39-54 for a .419 mark. "Its been really tough. Its been frustrating," outfielder Alex Rios said. "This is a season that I believe that were all going to remember in a bad way." Dallas Keuchel (9-5), one of five candidates in Internet balloting for the final spot on the AL All-Star team, allowed four runs and eight hits over 6 2-3 innings. While it wasnt his best performance, he was happy to beat the Rangers. "Just because theyve beaten us up the last couple years," Keuchel said. "Theyve been the big brother, of sort." Darvish (8-5), who had thrown 20 consecutive scoreless innings while winning his last three home starts, gave up a season-high 10 hits and six runs. He struck out eight and needed 109 pitches to get through six innings. Against Houston at home in April, Darvish allowed one hit over eight scoreless innings. The Japanese ace also had two near no-hitters on the road against the Astros last season, one in which he retired the first 26 batters. Carlos Corporan had a two-run double in the sixth to break a 4-all tie. An inning later, Springer hit his 19th homer, a two-run shot off reliever Jason Frasor. Grossmans solo homer, about 329 feet into the right-field corner, made it 4-all with two outs in the fifth. He also had a double in the first inning and an RBI single in the third. Before getting recalled this week by the Astros, Grossman had an 18-game hitting streak at Triple-A Oklahoma City. But he was hitless in a span of 28 at-bats in the majors after going 0 for 4 on Tuesday night to start his third stint with Houston this season. Adrian Beltre extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an RBI single in the Texas first. The All-Star third baseman is batting .494 (38 for 77) in his last 20 home games, and is second in the AL at .336 overall. Houston took a 2-1 lead in the second when Corporan hit a two-out double before Enrique Hernandez tripled and scored on a wild pitch. "The team is in a skid, but Im telling you, theyre playing," Texas manager Ron Washington said. " Were not pitching very well. ... We just dont have a sustainable offence to support whats going on right now." NOTES: Springer also made a running catch in the right-centre gap to end the third. ... 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"Im going to send Webbie a six-pack (of beer) tonight," she said. Webb wasnt sure that would help. "Ill probably drink one and go to sleep," the Australian veteran said. The two players set up a Sunday showdown between former HSBC champions after finishing off their third rounds with identical birdies over three of the last five holes Saturday to separate themselves slightly from the rest of the crowded leaderboard. NFL Jerseys Outlet . Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China.WASHINGTON -- Jayson Werth helped get the Washington Nationals a little bit closer in the wild-card race. Werths two-out RBI double in the eighth inning capped a late rally and the Nationals avoided a series sweep with a 6-5 win over the New York Mets on Sunday night. The Nationals trailed 5-2 in the seventh, but scored once in that inning on Wilson Ramos run-scoring single and added three in the eighth. The victory moved Washington within 6 1/2 games of Cincinnati for the final National League wild-card berth. The Reds lost at Colorado 7-4 on Sunday. "Were stoked," said Bryce Harper, who reached base three times and contributed during the rally. "I was fired up, unbelievably fired up when (Werth) hit that double. ... Hes been in that situation so many times in his career. That was just an unbelievable moment." Not so much for the Mets bullpen as reliever Gonzalez Germen (1-2) allowed one run after Scott Rice gave up two in the eighth. "Anytime you can win a series, its big," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "This time of the year, youve got to win as many as you can. "Certainly, this is one were going to look back on and kick ourselves a little bit for letting it get away. But yeah, winning a series is big." Rice entered in the eighth with the Mets leading 5-3. New Yorks third pitcher, Rice allowed consecutive singles including Denard Spans pinch-hit single which extended the outfielders hitting streak to 15 games. After Harper sacrificed the runners to second and third, Scott Hairston scored on Anthony Rendons groundout and Span came around on Ryan Zimmermans infield single. Werths second double of the game found the right-centre gap for one of Washingtons 16 hits, scoring Zimmerman from first base. "He had the most unbelievable BP today," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said of Werth. "Hes been swinging the bat good. Hes driven." Because the Nationals drove in those late runs, they wont be lugging a losing skid with them to their next series. Johnson: "I cant sleep as it is. ... Id have nightmares riding on the bus to Philly. There is a lot of baseball left. We just have to keep chugging away one game at a time." Recalled from Triple-A Syracuse before the game, reliever Erik Davis (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth. "It was exciting to get in there on my first day back," Davis said. "I was just happy to get out there and put up a zero. It was an awesome comeback by us." Rafael Soriano, Washingtons sixth pitcher, finished the Mets off in the ninth for his 36th save.dddddddddddd. Daniel Murphy and Lucas Duda each drove in two runs, and Matt de Dekker smacked his first career home run for the Mets. New York last swept a series from Washington May 25-27, 2009. Murphys hot hitting stretch continued with an RBI double in the first inning and a two-out run-scoring single in the fifth against Ross Ohlendorf. The second baseman has 11 hits in his past 19 at-bats. New York had 30 hits during the past two games. Mets starter Jonathon Niese never had a 1-2-3 inning, but the Nationals managed only single runs in the second and fourth against him. He allowed two runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings before leaving with a left leg cramp. "Its that kind of year," Niese said of New Yorks string of injuries, including first baseman Ike Davis on Saturday. "Today was tough, it was so humid. I was crushing Gatorades and water, and still cramping up." Scott Atchison replaced Niese with two outs in the sixth and stranded two inherited runners. Ramos RBI single against Atchison in the seventh made it 5-3. "We finally got some hits with runners out there," Johnson said. "It took a while." Murphy followed Eric Youngs leadoff double with a two-base hit for New Yorks first run and scored one out later on Dudas single. Another RBI single from Duda, who started for Davis, made it 5-2 in the seventh. New York went ahead 3-0 as de Dekkers first major league home run landed in the second deck of the right-centre field stands. Ohlendorf pitched five innings, allowing four runs and nine hits. He had a 2.82 ERA in four previous starts this season. Notes: Zimmerman had three hits. ...The Mets, with their rotation depleted by injuries, have signed RHP Aaron Harang to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League. Harang was 5-11 with a 5.76 ERA in 22 starts this year for the Seattle Mariners. Overall, he has pitched 12 years in the majors, going 110-115 with a 4.29 ERA. ... The Mets also called up three players, including RHP Vic Black, who was acquired on Aug. 27 from the Pirates in a deal that sent OF Marlon Byrd and C John Buck to Pittsburgh. ... Washington also recalled RHP Ian Krol from Triple-A Syracuse and catcher Sandy Leon from Double-A Harrisburg. ... RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2, 8.68 ERA) opposes Paul Maholm (9-10, 4.37) as New York opens a three-game series at Atlanta on Monday. ... Washington plays at Philadelphia on Monday as RHP Stephen Strasburg (6-9, 2.96 ERA) faces LHP Cole Hamels (6-13, 3.58 ERA). ' ' '