Aledmys Diaz capped a four-run first inning with a three-run home run and Zack Greinke remained undefeated with six strong innings Thursday afternoon as the host Houston Astros turned back the Texas Rangers 8-4 at Minute Maid Park.

Martin Maldonado also homered for Houston (21-15), which won for the sixth time in its last eight games on the eve of an 11-game trip that begins Friday against the Los Angeles Angels.

Shin-Soo Choo homered for Texas (13-23), which lost for the 14th time in its last 17 games.

The Astros wasted little time jumping on Rangers ace Lance Lynn (4-2), using consecutive game-opening singles by George Springer, Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley to go up 1-0.

Lynn retired the next two batters before Diaz smacked his first homer of the season, extending the lead to 4-0.

The Rangers got one back on an RBI double by Jose Trevino in the second, and another in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Elvis Andrus.

After the teams exchanged single runs, Maldonado chipped in with his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot that made it a 6-3 game in the sixth inning.

Lynn was done at inning's end, charged with six runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Greinke (3-0) also was pulled after six innings, having given up three runs and six hits. He walked one and struck out nine.

Texas got within 6-4 in the eighth against the Houston bullpen when Choo belted his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot. The Rangers then put the potential tying runs on the bases with two out in the inning, but left-hander Cionel Perez got Ronald Guzman to ground out to end the threat.

The Astros then put the game out of reach in the bottom of the inning on a two-out, two-run double by Brantley.

Brantley finished with three hits and three RBIs for the Astros, who took the series 2-1 after losing the opener on Tuesday. Springer, Maldonado and Yuli Gurriel added two hits apiece.

Nick Solak had three hits and Trevino two for the Rangers, who were out-hit 12-8.

--Field Level Media