ARLINGTON, Texas -- Chris Carter is hitting under . Evgenii Dadonov Panthers Jersey .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. Jonathan Huberdeau Panthers Jersey . -- Olympic medallist Jennifer Abel of Laval, Que. Henrik Borgstrom Jersey . "Yes, Id like to get them in," Detroits rookie manager said. "Mother Natures going to have a say in that." Sure enough, the Tigers had their game against the Kansas City Royals postponed because of rain on Thursday. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/ . "This isnt really the week you want to lose Chris Greaves," fellow lineman Glenn January said Wednesday after practice. Greaves is expected to miss several weeks after suffering a knee injury in last weeks 36-28 win over the Ottawa Redblacks.It was a protest that began with one player sitting for the national anthem. It wasnt until the third game of pre-season that Colin Kaepernick was spotted, and the news story turned into a contentious political chip in the race for presidential election. The 49ers quarterback has been made the week six starter for San Franciscos game against the Buffalo Bills, and is backing himself to impress after restructuring his contract to remove an injury guarantee. But the six-year veteran, who helped the 49ers to the 2012 Super Bowl, has been in the spotlight all season after refusing to stand for the Star Spangled Banner, which plays ahead of every game.Despite being the back up so far this season, Kaepernick jerseys are the highest selling on the NFLs online site, and players - both team-mates and opposition - are growing in their support for his cause, which he announced after the 49ers pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers. I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour, Kaepernick said.To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder. Kaepernick has been kneeling since the pre-season, and will continue to do so as he starts his first game of 2016 Kaepernick, born to a white mother and African-American father, and adopted as a baby by a white family in Wisconsin, has polarised opinion with his decision to kneel during the national anthem. The 49ers organisation, while not supporting their player, have stated that it is Kaepernicks right to protest, and have donated $1m to improve collaboration between law enforcement and the communities of the Bay Area. However, this is a larger issue than one city or state. Residents in North Carolina rioted after Keith Lamont Scott was shot by police on Tuesday, September 20. Speaking in the midst of the trouble, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said he was in a lose-lose situation when talking about social justice as people were too quick to comment.Im in a position now where its like, if I say something, its going to be critiqued, said Newton. And if I dont say something, oh, you fake. Im a firm believer of justice. Im a firm believer of doing the right thing. And I cant repeat it enough; of just holding people accountable.Im an African-American. I am not happy with how justice has kind of been dealt with over the years - the state of oppression in our community. Kubiak to miss week six Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak to miss game vs Chargers Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman also used his latest press conference to address the social issues surrounding Kaepernicks protest.The reason these guys are kneeling, the reason were locking arms is to bring people together to make people aware that this is not right. Its not right for people to get killed in the street.And so when a guy takes a knee, you can ignore it. You can say hes not being patriotic, hes not honouring the flag. Im doing none of those things. Im saying, straight up, this is wrong and we need to do something.Athletes making a statement is noot something new, or limited to the NFL. Ian McCoshen Jersey. At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a black power salute, demonstrating against the treatment of black Americans. Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a civil rights gesture at the 1968 Olympics In recent years, the St Louis Rams and LeBron James have actively protested social justice issues, but Kaepernicks continued stance has led players from all franchises supporting the quarterback.Greg Milam, US Correspondent for Sky News, believes that what started as one man making a stand for a cause has now become a vehicle for certainly raising, if not addressing the social issues in America today. There is no doubt that this is now a national talking point, especially since he took his protest into the first Monday Night Football game, he said. From a lone act in a pre-season game to now, the fact that other players have joined in, along with players in other sports, with audiences in the tens of millions, I think has taken this to another level.All of the increased attention, the debate and anger, also makes people wary - the issues around injustice faced by minority communities are extremely emotive and, as weve seen before, those tensions can boil over. The fact is that this is an uncomfortable issue for so many people, though, that is kind of the point Kaepernick is making. Basketball star LeBron James wore an I cant breathe t-shirt, displaying the last words of Eric Garner in 2014 Milam believes that a sporting protest was too big of a stage for American politics to ignore. With the country due to elect their new president in November, the issue has not escaped the politicians. President Barack Obama was quick to support Kaepernicks right to protest.In some ways, that has more to do with how American politics works today, jumping on a bandwagon, getting some airtime, but this years race has been divisive and there are a lot of angry people out there. An issue with sport, race, injustice and national pride is too big a target, said Milam.It also means that it is sometimes hard for the facts (that the players say they respect the military, for example) to be heard above the noise and outrage. The very fact that that the national anthem is played at regular sporting events in the US is evidence of just how seriously people take pride in America. Rams players Tavon Austin, Jared Cook and Chris Givens were criticised after they made this gesture in 2014 With Kaepernick starting his first game of 2016, the focus will be on the quarterback more than ever. The highly contentious nature of this debate will continue to divide fans, but it promises to keep the subject in the headlines, all the way until the presidential election on November 8. Also See: NFL week five highlights Neil Reynolds Pick Six WATCH: Sunday Blitz NFL week five round-up ' ' '