HOUSTON -- The Texas Rangers put on quite the power display Friday night against the Houston Astros. Nelson Cruz hit a monstrous home run to tie the score in the sixth inning, Jeff Bakers shot put the Rangers ahead in the next inning and David Murphy added one in the ninth as Texas beat Houston 4-2. Three relievers threw 3 1-3 perfect innings to help the Rangers get the win. Baker greeted Wesley Wright (0-1) with a leadoff home run to right field in the seventh to give the Rangers, who entered the game last in the American League with 14 home runs on the road, their first lead of the night at 3-2. "Any time you can contribute, it is awesome," Baker said. "Especially when you are in the utility role, and you are trying to make the most of your opportunities, getting a big hit. Getting the series started with a win is obviously huge for us." Murphys shot leading off the ninth inning against Travis Blackley extended the Rangers lead and travelled 411 feet. Cruz tied the score at 2-2 with a big solo home run to left field in the sixth off Houston starter Dallas Keuchel. The 416-foot shot bounced off the glass facade above the railroad tracks for Cruzs eighth homer of the season. It ended a 0 for 12 skid for Cruz, who has tied games with four of his long balls this year. "That one Cruz got was huge to get us back in the ballgame right there after they stole a run from us," Washington said. "And then Baker gets us the lead run and Murphy a little bit of insurance. It was all needed." Robbie Ross (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 perfect innings before Tanner Scheppers pitched the eighth and Joe Nathan the ninth for his 10th save of the season. "The bullpen was outstanding," Washington said. "For Robbie to come in and get us 1 1-3 innings and then Schep came in and had a good breaking ball tonight to go with that live fastball that he has. And then Joe did the rest. It was solid." Nathan said the bullpen is in a pretty good rhythm. "The young guys who were question marks coming into the year are throwing the ball great," Nathan said. "Obviously, we are passing the ball along pretty good. We are in a rhythm. We have good confidence down there. We are just trying to throw as many quality pitches as we can and get outs. We know coming out of the pen, we got to be aggressive, throw strikes and get outs for us. Fortunately, it has gone well." Trevor Crowe put the Astros in front 1-0 in the second with a solo home run to left field off Alexi Ogando. The home run was Crowes first in 234 at-bats since July 23, 2010, when he was with the Indians. Elvis Andrus tied it at 1-1 in the third with a bases-loaded walk. The Rangers loaded the bases with one out on a walk by Geovany Soto and singles by Craig Gentry and Ian Kinsler. Following Andrus walk, Keuchel struck out Lance Berkman and got Adrian Beltre to fly out to centre to end the inning. Houston responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning as Jose Altuve doubled with one out, advanced to third on Jason Castros groundout and scored on Ogandos wild pitch to make it 2-1. "That was a great reaction," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "He broke the minute the ball broke down. That was great anticipation by Altuve, and a good heads up play." Ogando was rocky in the first, loading the bases on a walk to Chris Carter with two outs before inducing a flyout to centre by Carlos Pena to end the inning. Keuchel, making his first start of the season after appearing in six games this season out of the bullpen, allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings. Keuchel said he felt good on the mound and felt he could have gone longer. "Before the game I told some of the guys that, since I went to the bullpen and then had that one start down in Triple A, my body has been responding well," Keuchel said. "Even though I got a little hot early, I was able to settle in a little bit." Ogando went 5 2-3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits with three strikeouts and a season-high four walks. NOTES: Texas C A.J. Pierzynski was placed on the disabled list Friday, retroactive to May 6 with a right oblique strain. C Robinson Chirinos was recalled from Triple A Round Rock Friday to take Pierzynskis place on the roster. ... Houston RHP Josh Fields, who has been on the disabled list since April 4 with a strained right forearm, began a rehab assignment Friday with Class A Quad Cities. ... Rangers RHP Yu Darvish, who is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA, will take the mound Saturday for the first time against Houston since he threw 8 2-3 perfect innings against the Astros on April 2. Houston will counter with LHP Erik Bedard, who is 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA. Hector Velazquez Red Sox Jersey . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. Mitch Moreland Red Sox Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. https://www.cheapredsox.com/2031z-joe-kelly-jersey-red-sox.html . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. Hanley Ramirez Red Sox Jersey . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Pedro Martinez Red Sox Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Joe McDufee has seen just about everything since he started attending Indiana Hoosiers games in 1949.Hes celebrated five national championships and an undefeated season, coped with the firing of Bob Knight, witnessed the rise and fall of the program under Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson, cheered for the resurgence of the Hoosiers under Tom Crean and will never forget the indelible image of that chair being flung across the floor.Yet when McDufee entered the newly renovated Assembly Hall for the first time in October, the 84-year-old Indianapolis resident was stunned.Its the same old place but its gotten a shine to it, doesnt it? he marveled. Really, really beautiful. The entryway out here just blows your mind.There may be no state in America that reveres basketball history more than Indiana. McDufee, like so many others around the Hoosier State, knew the 35-year-old arena needed a makeover long before an 8-foot metal plate broke away from the ceiling and fell into the seats just hours before Indiana and Iowa were scheduled to play in February 2014.What pragmatists noticed was that other schools were ditching their quaint, dark, sometimes historic arenas for bright, brand new palaces. They added more practice space, upgraded weight rooms and installed new amenities with hopes of attracting prized recruits and top dollars from donors who would embrace the improved fan experience.Assembly Hall, meanwhile, was widely viewed as a link to an Indiana history that should not be defaced or disturbed.Athletic director Fred Glass knew better.So when Cindy Simon Skjodt, an Indiana alum and the daughter of Mel Simon, the late Indiana Pacers co-owner, offered $40 million gift to give the arena a new look, Glass took it and began the quest of turning the hall into a basketball mecca for a whole new generation of Indiana fans.---Every Indiana community has a basketball story.The Big Tens career scoring leader, Calbert Cheaney, played high school basketball in Evansville. Purdues career scoring leader, Rick Mount, played prep ball in Lebanon, about 45 minutes southeast of campus. Before chasing college and pro championships, Oscar Robertson fought for playing time on a hard-clay court in Indianapolis known as the Lockefield Dustbowl. Larry Bird, of course, will always be known as the Hick from French Lick.Bill Garrett went from Shelbyville High School to Indiana, becoming the Big Tens first African-American to log regular minutes. Bobby Plump was the real-life star of the Milan Miracle, Damon Bailey of Bedford remains the boys high school career scoring leader and former Looggottee High School coach Jack Butcher won a state-record 806 games.Indiana has several unique venues. Athletic administrators often tap dance around history while trying to keep up with the Joneses.Butler athletic director Barry Collier faced that dilemma when he realized Hinkle Fieldhouse needed refurbishing. The former Bulldogs player and coach presided over a $36 million face lift on one of the oldest courts still used in Division I basketball. Hinkle hosted Indiana state basketball championship games from its opening in 1928 through 1971, served as a military barracks during World War II and was a movie set for Hoosiers.The project replaced wooden railings with Plexiglas, bench seats with seat backs, new scoreboards and a video board above midcourt that allowed fans to see replays. Administrators tried to leave the character of the building untouched.I dont think its lost anything at all, said 30-year-old Tyler Moore, who attended Colliers basketball camp at Butler. We talked about how much cleaner things like the bathrooms are now, and to be in the Big East and recruit the caliber of player yoou want, you need have a place like this.ddddddddddddormer Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke faced the same task in 2007 when blueprints were drawn for the first major project at Mackey Arena in 40 years.When it opened in December 1967, Purdue hosted one of its most famous alums, John Wooden, and his powerhouse UCLA team. Mount made his college debut that day against reigning national player of the year Lew Alcindor. During the next several decades, the Boilermakers embraced coaches such as Gene Keady and Matt Painter, watched future No. 1 draft picks Joe Barry Carroll and Glenn Robinson and celebrated a three-year Big Ten title run.Burke found a way to add more comfortable seats, a more appealing ticket office and better practice facilities. Since completing the $82 million project five years ago, attendance has increased and Purdue has reclaimed its perch in the Big Tens upper division.As far as the recruits, its all about the show, said Trent Johnson, who graduated from Purdue in 1988 and has had season tickets for 20 years. When they play AAU ball, they already are traveling to Las Vegas, Orlando and Atlanta. They want a certain wow factor. They are pampered. If you dont do it, you risk losing kids to other schools who have upgraded facilities. You need the players to continue to draw the crowds.Not everyone agrees.A half century ago, six Indianapolis men pooled their money together to found the ABAs Indiana Pacers. Their first home court was Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, where fans were so close to the floor that former Pacers star player Darnell Hillman said he could hear their heartbeats.Over the years, the Pacers moved to Market Square Arena and eventually to Bankers Life Fieldhouse, a spacious NBA facility full of suites and restaurants. Hillman waxes nostalgic when he thinks about the renovated coliseum, which reopened in 2014-15 as the new home court for IUPUI.I think we have to find a way to hold on to that, Hillman said. Thats where the history of basketball lives. This is basketball country. They love the game. Theyre into it from the moment they get to the arena.---At Indiana, the three-story entryway looks more like the entrance to a mansion than a basketball arena with its shiny escalators and elevators and all those open windows. Theres a presidential suite behind the student section, trophy cases on both sides of the lobby, even touch screen technology to learn more about Hoosiers history in all sports.On the north end, the feature attraction is the hanging midcourt section from the playing floor used at Assembly Hall from 1976-95. Look around and fans will find the scoreboard that hung above center court from 1983-2005 and the double-sided stanchions that were once a signature part of Indiana basketball.Inside, all the seats are crimson-and-cream and a new large videoboard can be seen from every corner of the court.I think its fantastic, said Dan Caldwell, a 37-year-old Bloomington resident. I love the mix of the new and the old and I think theyve kept that home-court advantage just with the way the crowd is right on top of the floor and everything. And theyve kind of brought it into the next century so to speak, so yeah, I love it.McDufee believes Indiana made the right call by making renovations to the building he calls home rather than tearing it down and starting over.If they could have built one that seated about 24,000 or 25,000 so all the people that could wanted to be in could be in, that would have been good, he said. But I dont know, theres a lot, a lot of history here and tradition and I love the place. ' ' '