Arlington, TX -- Hank Blalock finished 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI and the Texas Rangers belted a franchise-record eight home runs to defeat the Houston Astros, 18-3, in the middle contest of their three-game interleague set at Ameriquest Field.

Kevin Mench and Mark Teixeira both homered and had three RBI, while David Dellucci hit two home runs for the Rangers, who picked up their second straight win and their fifth in eight tries.

"Eight-homer games don't happen very often," said Dellucci. "We got a fast start and they were just coming in bunches. Hopefully, we saved a few for tomorrow and down the road."

Laynce Nix, Richard Hidalgo and Rod Barajas also homered for the Rangers, who have plated more runs (783) than any other team in the history of interleague play.

Chris Young (4-2) earned the win, as he allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. He also struck out six without walking a batter.

Morgan Ensberg and Adam Everett homered in the loss for the Astros, who have dropped four in a row on the heels of a three-game winning streak. Houston is also a miserable 2-18 away from home this season.

Ezequiel Astacio (0-3) was saddled with the loss and was hammered for nine runs and nine hits in just 1 2/3 innings.

"We didn't pitch very good," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "We made a bunch of mistakes and they didn't miss 'em. It was a tough go. I've been concerned since the first week. I've got no answers."

Texas wasted little time in jumping out in front on Astacio and the Astros, as it pushed two runs across in the first inning. Dellucci started the home run brigade with a solo shot to center. Blalock also added an RBI double in the frame.

The Rangers then exploded for eight runs in the second inning thanks in part to a club-record four home runs in the inning. Barajas and Blalock both belted solo shots, while Teixeira stroked a three-run homer with Laynce Nix capping the stanza with a two-run home run to right. Mench also contributed an RBI double in the inning, as Texas chased Astacio and stormed out to a 10-0 advantage.

Texas, which hit the four homers all with two outs, had 25 three-homer innings before breaking the mark today.

The four home run inning also fell one short of the major league record, which has been accomplished by four teams. However, the Minnesota Twins were the last to accomplish the feat back on June 9, 1966.

Texas continued to pour it on, as Dellucci added his second solo home run of the game before Houston finally hit the scoreboard on Ensberg's eighth homer of the year, a two-run shot center.

Hidalgo's solo home run in the fifth put the Rangers ahead 12-2. Mench then stroked Texas' eighth homer of the game in the sixth, a two-run shot to left center to put the Rangers up 14-2.

The Rangers had hit seven in a game twice with the last time coming back on August 1, 2003 against the Cleveland Indians.

The Astros pulled within 11 in the seventh on Adam Everett's home run, but the Rangers scored four more times in their half of the frame to go ahead, 18-3.