Updated SEP 23, 2014 9:10a ET  ARLINGTON, Texas -- The season has been awful for the Texas Rangers but that doesn't mean the club has run out of feel-good stories.  It'll be hard to top what happened for Texas in Monday's 4-3 victory.  Infielder Guilder Rodriguez, who was called up to the majors earlier this month for the first time at 31 years old, had the kind of game that a guy can wait 31 years for.  It started with Rodriguez in the lineup alongside rookies Luis Sardinas and Rougned Odor, a pair of players Rodriguez mentored on their way up through the minor leagues. It ended with Rodriguez driving in the game-winning run on a soft single to left field in the seventh inning.  It was the second hit of the night for Rodriguez, whose third-inning single to left was the first of his big-league career. Throw in the fact that all of this happened with Rodriguez's father Guillermo looking on after flying in from Venezuela Sunday to watch his son play in the United States for the first time in 10 years and it kind of caps the perfect night.  "This is one of the best moments in my life," said Rodriguez, who received a Gatorade bath from Elvis Andrus after the game. "This is the second-best moment next to my two daughters being born."  The heroics by Rodriguez helped the Rangers win for the ninth time in 10 games, got Derek Holland his second win of the season and assured the Rangers of avoiding 100 losses.  But it will be the play of Rodriguez, who had played 1,095 games in the minors over 13 years before getting called up that will be remembered. It started with the third-inning single that snapped a 0 for 6 start to his career and sent tears streaming down his father's eyes.  "It was unbelievable," said Rodriguez, who had the first-hit ball in his locker. "I feel great. I feel like after a long time after starting playing professional baseball I got my first big-league base hit. I think I've done everything in baseball now. I played in minor leagues, I got a base hit in the big leagues. I played all levels in the minor leagues, Dominican, rookie, Low A, High A, Double A, Triple A and now I'm happiest in the big leagues."  His second hit had more of an impact on the game. The Rangers built a 3-0 lead on a three-run triple by Rougned Odor in the third inning. But the Astros chipped away against Holland and tied the game with two runs in the sixth inning.  But in the bottom of the seventh Rodriguez came through with the tie-breaking hit to score Jake Smolinski and put Holland in line for the win.  Texas interim manager Tim Bogar, who planned to start Rodriguez alongside Odor and Sardinas at some point, considered pinch-hitting for Rodriguez in the seventh. He's glad he didn't.  "You let it run through your mind because it's baseball, but then you check yourself and you're like, there's no way you can hit for the kid," Bogar said.  Holland (2-0) has now had quality starts in each of his five starts this season after allowing three runs in seven innings Monday. But he was quick to heap praise on Rodriguez.  "I've got nothing but respect for that guy," Holland said. "He's been in the minor leagues [13] years or so and to finally get his first hit, especially in front of his parents, that's the bigger thing. Sounds bad to say, but I'm kind of glad he didn't get his hits when they weren't here, at the same time I think it's much better have it in front of your family."
Guilder Rodriguez had his first two major league hits, including a tiebreaking RBI single, as the Texas Rangers opened their final homestand with a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night.