Robinson and Arnold hold off ‘Stros

  Rangers’ pitchers Jacob Robinson and Jelani Arnold held the Astros to just five hits on Sunday in a 7-4 opening day win. Jake started and went six innings and struck out three to pick up the win. Jelani nailed down the final three innings allowing only one hit as he also struck out three for the save, his first as a member of the Rangers.

      The Astros struck early with two runs in the first and one in the third as third baseman Steve Louis drilled a pair of doubles to deep right center field. The Rangers answered with two in the third as Nick Frey, Jonmarc Lippincott, Clint Wolf, and Joe Staten led the inning off with hits. Joe Staten tied the ballgame up at 3-3 with an RBI groundout to second that plated Lippincott in the fifth. The Rangers took the lead for good in the top of the seventh after Wolf doubled with the bases juiced to give the Rangers a 5-3 advantage. After an intentional walk to Joe Staten to load the bases, Dave Roemerman worked a one-out walk to score Lippincott. Jacob Robinson’s sacrifice fly in the eighth finished the scoring for the Rangers.

The Astros mounted a short-lived comeback in the final inning as Ron Wallace reached on an error to start off the ninth. Arnold then struck out Gregg Foster and got Branden Haddix to pop up. However, Rob Johnson laced a two-out single to right to plate pinch-runner Brian Girard to cut the lead to three. Dorian Glover and Brandon Bowyer drew walks to load the bases and bring the potential winning run to the plate. But Jelani buckled down and forced a ground ball to shortstop to kill the rally.

RANGERS "MARKS"

OFFENSE
Jonmarc Lippincott – reached base 5 times (3 hits, walk, FC).
Clint Wolf – 2-run double in 7^th proved to be game-winner.
DEFENSE
P Jacob Robinson, Jelani Arnold – held Astros to 5 hits.
C Gary Robinson – diving snag of popup for second out in ninth.
2B Jared Bradley – running catch in short right field .