ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Chris Carter led off two innings with home runs, George Springer had one inning-starting long ball and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Tuesday night.Jose Altuve had two hits, two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly. The All-Star second baseman matched Houston's 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.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 center fielder Leonys Martin for a 6-3 lead.Springer, the rookie center fielder, led off the third with his 18th homer - a 430-foot shot to the hill in center 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.
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.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 center fielder Leonys Martin for a 6-3 lead.Springer, the rookie center fielder, led off the third with his 18th homer - a 430-foot shot to the hill in center 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.
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