ARLINGTON, Texas -- Chris Carter is hitting under .200 this season for the Houston Astros. Still, he is hitting the ball hard -- and deep. Carter led off two innings with home runs, George Springer had one inning-starting long ball and the Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Tuesday night, getting a game closer to escaping the AL West cellar. The Astros go for a three-game series sweep on Wednesday after winning only twice in 19 games against Texas last season. They have won four straight overall against their instate rival for the first time since 2002. "Its just nice to beat them this year," Carter said. "They beat up on us pretty bad last year." 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 centre fielder Leonys Martin for a 6-3 lead. Nine of Carters last 17 hits have been homers. It was the third multihomer game this season for the .194 hitter. "He hits them in bunches. Lets hope this is one of those bunches," manager Bo Porter said. "On the home run to left field, he was getting extension. Hes a big, strong man and hes hitting the ball well." Jose Altuve had two hits, two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly. The All-Star second baseman matched Houstons 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. Springer, the rookie centre fielder, led off the third with his 18th homer -- a 430-foot shot to the hill in centre 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. "It just came down to the first inning ... overthrowing out of the gate," Irwin said. "Just trying to throw it hard, blow it past people. Thats not my game." NOTES: Astros C Jason Castro was out of the lineup for the second straight day because of pain in his left armpit. Castro was able to swing in the batting cage before the game but didnt play. ... Irwin became the 1,000th player in the history of the Washington Senators-Texas Rangers franchise (1961-2014). He was also the 47th player used by the Rangers this season, one more than they used all last year. RHP Roman Martinez made it 1,001 and 48 with two scoreless innings in his major league debut. ... Grossman had an 18-game hitting streak at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was before being recalled Tuesday when OF Alex Presley (strained right oblique) was put on the 15-day DL. Grossman, in his third stint in the majors this season, is hitless in his last 28 at-bats for the Astros after going 0 for 4 with a walk. He was the only Houston player without a hit. Clearance Custom Jerseys Shop .Mila Kunis was a guest on Kimmel last night and revealed a surprising side of herself that comes out when she watches sports. It turns out screaming something vulgar at professional athletes is therapeutic for Kunis. Cheap Custom Jerseys From China . Cammalleri scored two goals, Corban Knight netted the winner in a shootout, and the Flames erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Stars 4-3 on Friday night. http://www.customjerseyschina.com/ . Coach Randy Carlyle didnt know the severity of Bozaks injury. Bozak left the bench and went down the tunnel early in the second period, returned to play a handful of shifts and then did play in the third. Cheap Custom Jerseys Store .com) - The Miami Heat stopped a four-game losing streak last time out and thats the same length slide their opponents Wednesday night, the Denver Nuggets, will try to halt when the two teams meet at the Pepsi Center. Custom Football Jerseys China . Since coming to the big leagues in late May, La Stella is 6 for 7 with the bases loaded, driving in 13 runs in those at-bats.NEW YORK, N.Y. - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and players union chief DeMaurice Smith will meet Tuesday to discuss the leagues personal conduct policy.Goodell and NFL officials will be joined by Smith, the NFL Players Associations executive director, and Eric Winston, the union president.At last weeks owners meetings, Goodell said two major topics were potential changes to NFL policies to make them more effective, and making decisions in a more timely manner.Weve had meetings with the union, weve discussed alternatives, Goodell said. We discussed alternatives internally well in advance of this. Weve been looking at it over the last year or so. Are there different alternatives that would make it more efficient or effective?Winston told The Associated Press last week that the league needs to bring in the players in the process and collectively bargain a comprehensive and transparent personal conduct policy.Goodell previously said he hoped a revamped policy would be ready by the Super Bowl.We are working consistently on this. Nonstop on this, he said. We continue our meetings with outside experts, people that can give us perspective, whether they aree in the military or law enforcement, with former players, the union.ddddddddddddSo we are continuing our work with the intention to do this as quickly as possible. But most importantly, we want to make sure that this is thorough, that this is done right. We wont let perfect get in the way of better. But we certainly want to make sure that we get the right kind of policy in place as quickly as possible. I have no reason to believe that we will exceed the timeline I gave you. I think we will beat it, but well see.One potential hang-up: Goodells role in the disciplinary process. The union favours a neutral arbiter in all such decisions, but the commissioner has been reluctant to cede power in those matters.I come back to the point and I cant get past it: Our game is worse off because Roger has held all this power, Winston said. Instead of collectively bargaining a personal conduct policy, instead of bringing in the players, it is, We know best and you dont.The game is worse off because of choices they have made. 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