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ARLINGTON, Texas - Robbie Grossman is finding his stroke, and the Houston Astros are benefiting from his new-found power. Grossman hit a two-out, three-run home run capped a five-run fourth inning, and Houston beat the Texas Rangers 6-5 in 10 innings Saturday night. The long ball comes two days after he snapped a 25 at-bat hitless skid with a two-run drive in Houstons win at Toronto. "You have to have confidence in your ability, especially in the big leagues," Grossman said. "This game is too hard not to." Jason Castro tripled with one out in the 10th, and Jose Altuve had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly to score the run that helped Houston end a 12-game skid against their state rival. Marwin Gonzalez, running for Castro, scored on Altuves fly off Rangers closer Joakim Soria (1-1). "That was a big, big, big hit for Robbie," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "He continues to swing the bat. I told him, It aint going to last for long (his slump). Just keep swinging." Michael Choice hit his first career homer in the ninth to tie it as Texas rallied in the eighth and the ninth to send the teams into extra innings for the second straight night. Kevin Chapman (1-0) allowed Choices tying homer but was the winning pitcher. Anthony Bass pitched the 10th for his second save. Texas put runners on first and third with one out in the ninth before Bass struck out Kevin Kouzmanoff and got Choice to ground out to first base. Shin-Soo Choo came into the game having reached base 12 of his previous 16 plate appearances but struck out all five times up, including with the winning run at second base with two out in the ninth. Houston starter Jarred Cosart shut down Texas after allowing three runs in the first four innings, limiting the Rangers to six hits while striking out a career-high eight in seven innings. "The knock last year was the walks were too high and the strikeouts were too low," Cosart said. "Its something I really worked on in spring training." The Rangers streak against Houston was the longest streak in the majors between any two teams. Texas has won 18 of 21 meetings over Houston since the beginning of last season, when the state rivals became intradivision foes with the Astros moving from the National League into the American League West. Tanner Scheppers, making his third career start since transitioning this season from short relief, was victimized by the big inning for the second time this season. "Its a step forward," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Its a learning experience." The Rangers pulled within one in the eighth when Alex Rios double off the wall in left centre scored Elvis Andrus with none out. But Rios was thrown out trying to steal third with Prince Fielder at the plate, and Texas didnt threaten again. "Sometimes you try to make things easier," Rios said, "and you make them a little harder." Texas scored five batters in but left two on in the opening inning. Cosart retired 10 of the last 11 batters that he faced. NOTES: Rangers GM Jon Daniels said the club is leaning toward placing 3B Adrian Beltre on the disabled list and should decide by Monday. Beltre has been sidelined since Tuesday with a strained left quad. ... Houston called up RHP Paul Clemens from Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed RHP Scott Feldman on the bereavement list. Astros manager Bo Porter said Feldman, who pitched Friday after his father, Marshall, died Wednesday, could miss a start. ... Texas acquired RHP pitcher Hector Noesi on Saturday from Seattle for a player to be named later or cash considerations. USA Soccer Jerseys 2020 . Notes on P.K. Subban, Dale Weise, Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund, Ilya Bryzgalov and more. USA Soccer Pro Shop .Y. -- The "for sale" sign is up at the Buffalo Bills with the hiring of financial and legal advisers who may begin talking with prospective buyers within the next month. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory. USA Soccer Store . Mika Zibanejad and Jason Spezza scored in the shootout to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 victory over Nashville on Saturday night. Fake USA Soccer Jerseys . However, Jim Popp isnt sure how long hell be able to admire wide receiver Duron Carter.CALGARY -- One of the NHLs biggest personalities vows to work in the background for the Calgary Flames. Veteran hockey executive Brian Burke was named the teams president of hockey operations, a position the Flames created for him in an effort to return to the playoffs after a four-year absence. Burke will "assume overall responsibility of the sport side of the Calgary Flames." General manager Jay Feaster will report to Burke, while Ken King remains president and CEO of the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation. In addition to the Flames, the company encompasses the American Hockey Leagues Abbotsford Heat, the Western Hockey Leagues Calgary Hitmen, the Canadian Football Leagues Calgary Stampeders and the National Lacrosse Leagues Roughnecks. Burkes description of himself on Twitter is "a dash of truculence". Hes brutally honest and unfiltered, so reporters both love and loathe him depending on the day. "I dont intend to be front and centre," Burke said Thursday during a news conference at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "That would be a nice break after being front and centre and getting into a lot of little scraps in the media. "I know people think I need to be driving the bus all the time. Im actually a pretty good teammate. "The guy you should talk to every day should be the coach. The transactional guy, if you make a trade . . . the guy that should explain it should be the guy that pulls the trigger on the trade and thats Jay." Flames owners arent normally present at team announcements, but chairman Murray Edwards and others in the ownership group sat in the front row of seats Thursday. Burke was fired as president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in January. He had been working as a part-time scout with the Anaheim Ducks since February. Reporting to Burke instead of King is the only change Feaster expected in his job description. "To be able to bring somebody in who has won a Stanley Cup, who has taken a team to that lofty level and who has been in the game in as many capacities as Brian has been throughout his career, to be able to tap into that wealth of knowledge on a daily basis, its a great thing," Feaster said. "I endorse it as the GM." A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, Burke sits on the board of directors for Rugby Canada and is the director of player personnel for the American mens hockey team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He was general manager of the U.S. team that won Olympic silver in 2010. He also won a Stanley Cup as GM of the Ducks in 2007. "Brians worked pretty hard in our game to do a lot of different things," Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf said in New York. "Obviously Ive seen first-hand what he can do. Im happy that hes back to work and Im sure thatll make him happy." It took some convincing by King for Burke to accept the Flames job because he wasnt clear on what it entailed. As part of his research into similar pro sports management models, the 58-year-old lawyer said he consulted Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti. "This is a relatively new structure in professional hockey," Burke said. "There are two teams in the NHL that have this type of management structure. There are a number of teams in the National Football League that do, a number of teams in Major League Baseball that do and a number of teams in the NBA that do. And it works effectively. And its going to work here." Burke will be an adviser to Feaster. "Im not the general manager of the Calgary Flames," he declared. "Jay Feaster is. He is going to be in charge, but with my guidance. "I think I add a value. Ive been able too fix just about every team Ive worked for, sometimes quicker than others.dddddddddddd" Burkes contract with the Flames doesnt have a set term, but is instead an open-ended work agreement. "Theres a long runway here for Brian," King said. "He can do this job for 10 years, maybe longer than that. Hes got that sober second-thought opportunity to take a long view, a long vision, to help Jay, who by nature has to have a shorter vision." Burke plans to embrace a job where hell be on the road less after scouting the world junior championship in Ufa, Russia, in January. "I didnt enjoy that. I got as sick as a dog. The food was awful," Burke said. "I was saying to myself This was not a good use of my time. "This job allows a guy of my seniority to do less the grunt work, the day-to-day stuff, but still be involved." Flames coach Bob Hartley said his club will benefit from Burkes sheer passion for the game and his hockey knowledge. "There will be no grey areas with Brian," said Hartley. The coach said he doesnt feel any extra pressure with a second executive above him. "Any time that you can add a gentleman like Brian Burke to your team, and teamed up with Jay Feaster, I feel that Im very well surrounded as a coach," said Hartley. "We know one thing about Brian: The roles will be clear, and the expectations will be well put there. At the same time, he always backs you up." Also Thursday, the Flames promoted John Bean from CFO and senior vice-president, finance and administration to chief operating officer. After graduating Harvard Law School in 1981, Burke was a player agent until 1987 when Vancouver Canucks general manager Pat Quinn asked him to become the director of hockey operations for the franchise. Burke held that post for five years, until the 1992-93 season when he became the GM of the Hartford Whalers. He stayed in Connecticut for a year before moving to the NHLs head office, becoming commissioner Gary Bettmans executive vice-president and director of hockey operations. In 1998, Burke returned to Vancouver to become the GM of the Canucks. He drafted players such as twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin, as well as centre Ryan Kesler. Team management elected to not renew Burkes contract after the 2003-04 season. After spending time as a TV analyst, Burke returned to management, becoming the GM of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2005-06 and winning the Stanley cup a year later. He stepped down from the Ducks in November 2008 and two weeks later was hired by the Maple Leafs. The Leafs didnt make the post-season during Burkes tenure. "There was a lot that needed to be done in Toronto that took longer than I thought," Burke said. He believes the Flames are on the right path, but isnt imposing deadlines on the hockey teams re-build. "I remember when I was a rookie GM, I called Harry Sinden and was complaining about my team. He said When you take over a non-playoff team, you inherit a leaky ship," Burke said. "Its hard in a cap system to turn your team around. You have unrestricted free agency obviously, but in a cap system, its a slower process. "I think fans can be patient as long as they see a plan thats in place and being executed and faithfully stuck to. I think theres a plan here and I think the fans can see it." NHL rookie camps are underway with main camps scheduled to start Sept. 11. The Scotiabank Saddledome is undergoing restoration from massive flooding in June. The Flames main camp will be held at another facility, but the first exhibition game Sept. 14 is scheduled to be at the Saddledome. -- With files from Stephen Whyno and Monte Stewart ' ' '