Smith's 2 HRs send Rangers into the break on a roll

HOUSTON -- The Rangers ended the first half of the season on a strong note thanks in large part to Josh Smith.

Smith hit a pair of two-run home runs to lead the Rangers to a 4-2 win over the Astros on Sunday at Minute Maid Park, securing a series victory over their intrastate rivals.

Smith sent a 3-0 fastball from Ronel Blanco to the second deck in right field in the first inning. Seven innings later, he sent the first pitch he saw from Rafael Montero -- another fastball -- into the right-field seats for some key insurance runs.

"Obviously, we knew the situation we were in, so to come in here and get a series win was really big,” Smith said. "I’m always on the heater, so I just make adjustments off that."

It was Smith’s first career multihomer game and a career-high four RBIs for the third baseman, who enters the break with a career-high 10 home runs and 40 RBIs.

"Smitty had a big day,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "We had three hits. It’s really nice to get those home runs, because if you’re not getting a lot of hits, you need to slug. He came through for us twice there."

The Rangers ended the first half going 7-2 over their last nine games and winning their final three series, including a 4-2 stretch on their six-game road trip against the Angels and Astros.

"What a great job they did on this road trip,” Bochy said. "You lose the first one here and come back and get the next two. It was a nice road trip. We’re right there. Now, enjoy the break, but hey, we’ve got to come back ready to go. We had a lot of great effort from everybody in this series, and today, a lot of gutty efforts."

Marcus Semien led off the game with a single, extending his hit streak at Minute Maid Park to 25 games, which is the longest active streak for a player at one ballpark. It is the longest streak since Trea Turner’s 25-game hit streak at Chase Field from Aug. 1, 2016-Sept. 13, 2022.

Semien's single and Smith's two homers were the extent of the Texas offense on the day, but for a second straight game, the pitching staff came up big when it mattered.

Max Scherzer surrendered one run on four hits with six strikeouts in four-plus innings, but after walking Joey Loperfido to load the bases with nobody out in the fifth, Bochy went to Josh Sborz out of the bullpen.

The move paid off.

Sborz struck out Mauricio Dubón, then induced a popout by Jose Altuve and a groundout to third by Alex Bregman to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.

"He hadn’t pitched in five days,” Bochy said of Sborz. "I was a little worried about what kind of command he would have, but he just did a terrific job. Good fastball, good breaking ball. He’s been in that situation many times, including the World Series. He shined when we needed it."

In the bottom of the eighth, Jacob Latz came on with the tying run at the plate -- and promptly struck out Yordan Alvarez and coaxed an inning-ending groundout from Yainer Diaz to escape the jam.

"I think it goes without saying that any time you play this team, you’re going to try a little more," Latz said. "It’s not something I’m thinking about. I was just trying to execute my pitch. … Coming in that situation, where we are at now, I was a little amped up."

Kirby Yates got into and out of a jam in the ninth to secure the hard-fought win for Texas.

Despite his early hook in the fifth inning, Scherzer continued his string of good outings since starting the season on the injured list. The right-hander has allowed three earned runs or fewer all five of his starts.

"I’m just pleased with how I continue to ramp up and how I continue to execute,” Scherzer said. “My pitches I feel like continue to get better every time out. This is a good team win and good way to go into the break."

The Rangers enter the break at 46-50 but within striking distance in the AL West.

"They should feel good about how we finished up here,” Bochy said. “To take two series in a row, especially here. We have a lot of baseball left. We have to make up ground, we know that, but if we play that type of ball, good things could happen."