s threw down a dunk with 3.4 secon
s threw down a dunk with 3.4 secon
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Guilder Rodriguez played 13 seasons and 1,095 games in the minor leagues before the Texas Rangers called up the 31-year-old switch-hitting infielder earlier this month. Now he has quite a night to remember, one shared with his father from Venezuela who watched him play in the United States for the first time in 10 years. Rodriguez had his first two major league hits, including a tiebreaking RBI single, as the Rangers opened their final homestand with a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night. "This is my second-best moment after seeing my two daughters born," Rodriguez said. "Its unbelievable. I feel great." His first major league RBI came in the seventh, when his two-out single sent home Jake Smolinski and chased Astros starter Nick Tropeano (1-2), a pitcher Rodriguez was familiar with from the minor leagues. Smolinski was hit by a pitch to start the inning. "I think the only word is special for me," interim manager Tim Bogar said. "When he got his first hit, it was hard not to cry looking at his dad. It was pretty special that he got a chance to do it in front of his dad. Then the second hit that gave us the lead, thats kind of storybook for us." Rougned Odor had a three-run triple for Texas, which won for the ninth time in its last 10 games. The Rangers got win No. 63 overall, ensuring that they will avoid their first 100-loss season since 1973. "It puts a big smile on my face, just to know theres no three digits in our loss column," said Bogar, 10-6 since Ron Washington resigned. "But other than that, we know as an organization were not a team thats a 100-loss team. Were not heading in the wrong direction. Its just a little bump in the road for us." Rodriguez made his major league debut two weeks ago, and at the time had the most minor league games for any current player before finally getting to the majors. "Its a thrill. To put in all that time in the minor leagues, and keep playing, and playing, and playing. A lot of guys would have given up," Astros interim manager Tom Lawless said. "Thats the thing about baseball; you never give up. You never know, you might get the chance. Because your dream is a little kid is to play Major League baseball. And there he is." His father arrived from Venezuela on Sunday night, and sat in the second row near the Rangers bench. When his son singled in the third, the elder Rodriguez held both his arms in the air and then wiped tears from his eyes. That was the second of three consecutive Rangers to reach base before Odor tripled into the left-centre field gap. Rodriguez had an error at third base that led to an unearned tying run for Houston in the sixth. But when the Astros intentionally walked Robinson Chirinos ahead of Rodriguez in the seventh, Bogar had no intentions of using a pinch-hitter. "You let it run through your mind because its baseball," Bogar said. "But then you check yourself and youre like, theres no way you can hit for the kid." HOLLAND SOLID AGAIN Derek Holland (2-0) scattered seven hits and allowed three runs, two earned, while pitching through one batter in the eighth. It was the left-handers fifth start since missing the first six months of the season rehabbing from left knee surgery. Roman Mendez finished the eighth before Neftali Feliz pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 13 chances. "I feel like I did my job. The main thing was that I didnt have my best stuff but I went out there and pitched," Holland said. "I made sure to bear down when I needed to." TRAINERS ROOM Astros: Lawless indicated that two relievers -- RHP Josh Fields (right side strain) and LHP Darin Downs (right oblique) likely wont pitch again this season. Rangers: 2B Jurickson Profar, who has missed all season because of a muscle tear in his right shoulder, wont play in the Arizona Fall League as expected after having more problems. Profar was back in Texas to see Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister after meeting in the last week with at least two other doctors. UP NEXT The second game of a three-game series between the bottom two teams in the AL West, with left-hander Brett Oberholtzer (5-12) going for the Astros against Texas rookie right-hander Nick Martinez (4-11), who has a 2.74 ERA over his last four starts. Jared Veldheer Broncos Jersey . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington. Custom Denver Broncos Jerseys .One day after winning her record 63rd World Cup race, Vonn posted to her Facebook account Tuesday that she was happy Woods surprised her by coming to the race, and that she felt terrible that his tooth got knocked out. http://www.broncosrookiestore.com/Bronc ... on-Jersey/. Dane Dobbie had four goals and two assists, Karsen Leung had two goals and two assists, and Matthew Dinsdale scored two and helped on another for Calgary (6-3). Shawn Evans and Jeff Shattler had eight-point games with a goal and seven assists apiece, and Jon Harnett and Geoff Snider also scored. Marquette King Jersey . -- Arizona coach Sean Miller rose from his seat every time Roberto Nelson touched the ball and yelled "Shooter!" He could have been talking about his own team, too. Royce Freeman Broncos Jersey . Charlottetown scored four times in the third period en route to a 5-2 win over the defending champion Halifax Mooseheads on Friday. PHOENIX -- The sore left elbow Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic is dealing with might sting less than the All-Star snub he got earlier this week. Dragic isnt letting either affect his play. He scored 25 points and the Suns made almost 57 per cent of their shots through three quarters Saturday night in a 105-95 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. "I was kind of sad, mad, just full of emotions when I found out (about not being named an All-Star reserve), but thats the way it is," Dragic said. "It doesnt matter. I just want to play hard and be with my teammates and make the playoffs." Marcus Morris added 15 points for the Suns, who have won five straight games and seven of their last eight. Its the second time the Suns have won five in a row, matching their longest winning streak of the season. Phoenix held Charlotte to 14 second-quarter points, the lowest total in that quarter for an opponent this season. The Bobcats had played the night before in Los Angeles. "You cant have many nights like that. We just didnt try," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "We had no effort to start the game. If you are not ready to play or defend then you have no chance. The guys who came off the bench were worse than the starters." The Suns limited Al Jefferson, Charlottes leading scorer, to just 10 points after hed logged three straight 30-point games. He was 4 of 15 from the field and didnt play in the fourth quarter. "Guys were just fighting and made it tough on him," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said of Jefferson, whom he coached as an assistant with the Utah Jazz. "Hell shake his head and say Why do you keep trapping me all the time? Thats the kind of player he is, where we have to do that to him all the time." Markieff Morris threw down a dunk with 3.4 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Suns a 90-63 lead. He finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Bobcats cut the Suns lead to 99-86 with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter but coouldnt sustain the run.dddddddddddd Reserve Anthony Tolliver led Charlotte with 14 points and Jannero Pargo added 12 points and six assists. Ish Smiths floater with 7:05 left in the first half gave the Suns a 47-35 lead, and his driving right-hand layup made it 50-36 with 5:59 left. Marcus Morris hit a 3 off a feed from Dragic to make it 55-41, and Dragic scored the final four points of the half as the Suns closed it out on a 9-0 run. Dragic hit 10 of 14 shots in 27 minutes of action and has 20 or more points in four straight games. "Im more relaxed," Dragic said. "I know how the opponent is going to guard me. . It feels like Im playing basketball with my friends back home, no pressure and I just go there and do my job, I get great support from my teammates and its just fun." The Bobcats failed to score for the final five-plus minutes of the first half. The Suns defence on Jefferson was a major factor as they double-teamed the big man at times or sent a player over to stab at the ball as soon as he caught it. "We didnt have the energy that we needed, we werent making shots, no excuses," Jefferson said. The Bobcats had won their last two games, the first stops of a four-game western road swing. NOTES: The Bobcats were without guard Kemba Walker, whose 18.7 points and five assists per game were missed. Walker has been out with a sprained left ankle for two weeks and is expected to return soon. ... Saturday was Fan Appreciation Night at the US Airways Center. About half the crowd received "Go Suns" foam fingers. ... Injured Suns guard Eric Bledsoe has been out since Jan. 2, but he is the featured player on bobblehead dolls that will be given to fans at the next Suns home game, Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls. ... The balls used for Saturdays game were among the first ones to bear the signature of new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. ... The two teams wore warm-up shirts bearing the Twitter hashtag ".NBABHM" in honour of Black History Month. 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