ARLINGTON, Texas -- Chris Carter is hitting under . Willian Shirt .200 this season for the Houston Astros. Still, he is hitting the ball hard -- and deep. Carter led off two innings with home runs, George Springer had one inning-starting long ball and the Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Tuesday night, getting a game closer to escaping the AL West cellar. The Astros go for a three-game series sweep on Wednesday after winning only twice in 19 games against Texas last season. They have won four straight overall against their instate rival for the first time since 2002. "Its just nice to beat them this year," Carter said. "They beat up on us pretty bad last year." Carter started the sixth with a 409-foot blast into the seats in left field to make it 4-2. Two innings later, his 17th homer of the season was almost as long -- but just cleared the wall and the outstretched glove of centre fielder Leonys Martin for a 6-3 lead. Nine of Carters last 17 hits have been homers. It was the third multihomer game this season for the .194 hitter. "He hits them in bunches. Lets hope this is one of those bunches," manager Bo Porter said. "On the home run to left field, he was getting extension. Hes a big, strong man and hes hitting the ball well." Jose Altuve had two hits, two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly. The All-Star second baseman matched Houstons franchise record with 28 consecutive stolen bases without being caught while pushing his AL-leading total to 41. He leads the American League with 126 hits and a .341 batting average. Houston went ahead to stay with two runs in the first inning off Phil Irwin (0-1) who was making his Rangers debut. Brad Peacock (3-5) struck out five while allowing two runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings. Except for 21 days, and none past mid-April in either of their two seasons since switching leagues, the Astros have been at the bottom of the five-team AL West. After taking the first two of this three-game set, they are within a game of fourth-place Texas, which has lost nine of its last 10 games -- and 17 of 20. Springer, the rookie centre fielder, led off the third with his 18th homer -- a 430-foot shot to the hill in centre field. Martin led off the Texas second with his fifth homer before adding a sacrifice fly and a triple. Jake Smolinski had an RBI double in the seventh for his first major league hit. The Astros loaded the bases with no outs in the first, including Robbie Grossman reaching on a strikeout, before Altuve was picked off third base by catcher Chris Gimenez. Jon Singleton and Matt Dominguez followed with consecutive RBI singles. Irwin allowed three runs and six hits in four innings. He made a start in April 2013 for Pittsburgh, which waived him earlier this season. The right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier Tuesday when right-hander Nick Martinez (left side discomfort) was put on the 15-day disabled list. "It just came down to the first inning ... overthrowing out of the gate," Irwin said. "Just trying to throw it hard, blow it past people. Thats not my game." NOTES: Astros C Jason Castro was out of the lineup for the second straight day because of pain in his left armpit. Castro was able to swing in the batting cage before the game but didnt play. ... Irwin became the 1,000th player in the history of the Washington Senators-Texas Rangers franchise (1961-2014). He was also the 47th player used by the Rangers this season, one more than they used all last year. RHP Roman Martinez made it 1,001 and 48 with two scoreless innings in his major league debut. ... Grossman had an 18-game hitting streak at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was before being recalled Tuesday when OF Alex Presley (strained right oblique) was put on the 15-day DL. Grossman, in his third stint in the majors this season, is hitless in his last 28 at-bats for the Astros after going 0 for 4 with a walk. He was the only Houston player without a hit. NGolo Kante Youth Jersey .Stanton suffered fractures in his face and other injuries when he was hit by a pitch Sept. 11. The Marlins are confident hell fully recover and be ready for spring training, and they hope to reach a long-term agreement with him. David Luiz Shirt . Patrick Deslisle-Houde and David Rose each scored in the second to give the fourth-seeded Redmen a 3-1 lead after Jean-Philippe Mathieu scored in the first. http://www.chelseafcshoponlineuk.com/ . Terms of the contract were not disclosed by the club. Clemons spent his first five NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2009 draft out of Clemson.CHICAGO -- Chris Sale is a dominant power pitcher with the potential for a double-digit strikeout performance every time he takes the mound. But the Chicago White Sox ace said his focus against the San Diego Padres on Sunday was being economical. "The philosophy is on or out in three, so I was just trying to fill the zone with quality strikes and go from there," he said. Sale pitched a two-hitter, Paul Konerko homered and the White Sox posted 4-1 victory to avoid being swept. Sale (5-0) struck out nine, walked none and threw 100 pitches in the complete game performance that lasted just 2:08. He froze Everth Cabrera for a called strike three to end the game, and retired the final 14 batters. Sale has allowed just two earned runs in his last 25 innings spanning four starts, and has a 1.59 ERA overall. The lefty was on the disabled list in late April because of a strained muscle in his pitching arm. Because of that, Sale was on a pitch count -- the White Sox wouldnt say how many -- but he never was in danger of being removed because he was so efficient. "I think the rain-shortened start and then pitching on his regular turn, he was fresh," San Diego manager Bud Black said, referring to Sales last start on Tuesday when he went just three innings. "We havent seen him during the regular season, but you can see why this guys one of the best pitchers in the American League: deceptive delivery, good velocity, really good change, good breaking ball," he said. "He had it working today." Konerko also doubled and drove in three runs as the White Sox won for the eighth time in 13 games. The veteran slugger has been playing every day with rookie Jose Abreu on the disabled list, but that is scheduled to end Monday when Abreu is activated. "Im just trying to chip in," Konerko said. "Im here to have good days against left-handed pitching like that, and you try to do your best on the other days when you have to play like its been. Its been a bit of a whirlwind the past couple weeks getting back in there and playing, but its good to have it today with the way (Sale) pitched." EEric Stults (2-6) gave up four runs and five hits in six innings. Chelsea Shirt 2019/20. Sale sailed through the first four innings, retiring 12 straight batters to start the game. Konerko gave Chicago a 1-0 lead in the second when he hit a drive to the back of the left-field bullpen for his third homer of the season. Chase Headley led off the Padres fifth with his fifth homer. Tommy Medica followed with a single, but Sale quickly regrouped. He got Jedd Gyorko to ground into a double play and struck out Yonder Alonso to end the inning. "I dont think he missed any of that one," Sale said of Headleys homer. "It was a fastball left right there for him and you cant do that to him. Hes a big, strong guy and made me pay for it, obviously." It was a rare mistake. Through eight innings he had thrown just 84 pitches, making the decision to bring him out for the ninth that much easier for manager Robin Ventura. The White Sox regained the lead in the fifth on a solo homer by Tyler Flowers. They added two more in the sixth when Konerko doubled down the left-field line with two out, driving in Dayan Viciedo and Alexei Ramirez. That was plenty of offence for Sale. "He was fantastic today," Ventura said. "This was as efficient as he has been ever from watching him. He was pounding the strike zone and down in the zone, too." NOTES: Abreu (tendinitis left ankle) played in a simulated game for the second straight day and said he feels fine. He is set to play Mondays game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Sitting out has been difficult," Abreu said through a translator. "But you have to recognize there are things we dont control." No official move will be made until Monday, but Chicago is sending INF Marcus Semien to Triple-A Charlotte. ... Padres CF Cameron Maybin missed the game and is listed as day-to-day after leaving Saturdays game with a sore right calf. ... Director of scouting Doug Laumann said that the White Sox, who pick third in Thursdays amateur draft, "more than likely" would select a pitcher in the first round. ' ' '