Carlos Beltran broke out of a career-worst 0-for-32 slump in a big way with a home run in the first inning, the first of three hits for the night.

Even though the Rangers endured four shutouts in the span of eleven games, the offense was never a worry.

There are simply far too many weapons and far too much talent to sustain any long slumps. They proved that in the third-inning last night, and quickly.

A single, a triple, and two doubles from the first four Rangers batters in the third, and the game was decided early.

Up and down this lineup, with the possible exception of Carlos Gomez, the Rangers have bona fide hitters. And Gomez is only a few years removed for bonafidacation.

The lineup, for the first time this year, seems stable and set. And that is a good thing. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. If they keep hitting, this stretch run will be more like a stretch runaway from the pack.

The Rangers got lucky that when they hit their dry spell, no other team in their division had any interest in winning either.

So now they sit with an eight-and-one-half-game lead over Houston and a nine-and-one-half-game lead over Seattle.

And they are back to playing great baseball. They are clicking on offense and pitching.

September is going to be fun.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

James Paxton (4-5, 3.63) vs. Cole Hamels (14-4, 2.67)
Game time: 7:05

How the Mariners hit against Hamels.
How the Rangers hit against Paxton.