Rangers get 9th win in 10 games, 4-3 over Astros

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor prepares to slide into third on his bases-clearing triple that came off a pitch from Houston Astros starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (63) in the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. The shot scored Robinson Chirinos, Leonys Martin, Guilder Rodriguez. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor prepares to slide into third on his bases-clearing triple that came off a pitch from Houston Astros starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (63) in the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. The shot scored Robinson Chirinos, Leonys Martin, Guilder Rodriguez. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

By Associated Press September 23, 2014 4 min read

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – 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. “It’s 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.