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The Texas Rangers outlasted the Houston Astros on Sunday, 6-5 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Sunday’s win means the Rangers have taken the series from their in-state rivals and will go into the All-Star break above .500 (49-47) and first in the American League West Division. How did they get it done?
Despite a triple from Josh Jung in the first inning, the Rangers could not score.
In the second, they made sure the opportunity did not go to waste.
After Ezequiel Duran drew a one-out walk, Evan Carter hit a double to put both runners in scoring position. That set up Nicky Lopez, who delivered for his team.
Lopez hit a single to right field that scored Duran, and Joc Pederson notched a two-out, two-RBI double to right field to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Texas had a comfortable advantage to work with, but the Astros were not going to go away.
After both teams went scoreless in the third inning, Houston got on the board in the fourth. Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore had been pitching well up to that point, and he even got the first two strikeouts in the top of the inning.
However, he allowed a solo home run to Jose Altuve after punching out the first two batters he faced. But, with a 3-1 lead, the Rangers were still in control, and they had a response of their own in the fifth when Jung walked and Brandon Nimmo hit a triple to bring him across home plate.
Texas went into the sixth leading 4-1, but Houston was not going to let up.
In the seventh, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker had already gone to his bullpen and called on Robby Ahlstrom to be the third reliever of the night. That decision worked against them, as the Astros batting order began attacking Ahlstrom.
It began with a one-out single by Lamonte Wade Jr. before Zach Dezenzo delivered a single of his own. With two runners on, Schumaker went back to his bullpen again and put Peyton Gray on the mound.
But Gray walked Yainer Diaz to load the bases, and a sacrifice fly from Jeremy Pena made it a 4-2 game. After Gray intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez, he allowed a two-out, two-RBI single to Isaac Paredes that tied the game.
To make matters worse, the Rangers not only lost their lead, but began to trail in the eighth inning after Ben Peoples allowed a solo home run to Cam Smith. Whatever comfort Texas had from its previous advantage was gone, and it needed to mount a response.
It did.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kyle Higashioka belted a solo home run to left field that tied the game at 5-5. Then, after Wyatt Langford and Jung hit singles to begin the bottom of the ninth, Nimmo delivered a walk-off RBI single to win the game for the Rangers.
Texas will enjoy the All-Star break before it kicks off the second half of the season with a three-game series on the road against the Atlanta Braves on July 17.
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Sunday’s win means the Rangers have taken the series from their in-state rivals and will go into the All-Star break above .500 (49-47) and first in the American League West Division. How did they get it done?
Striking first
Despite a triple from Josh Jung in the first inning, the Rangers could not score.
In the second, they made sure the opportunity did not go to waste.
After Ezequiel Duran drew a one-out walk, Evan Carter hit a double to put both runners in scoring position. That set up Nicky Lopez, who delivered for his team.
Lopez hit a single to right field that scored Duran, and Joc Pederson notched a two-out, two-RBI double to right field to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Texas had a comfortable advantage to work with, but the Astros were not going to go away.
After both teams went scoreless in the third inning, Houston got on the board in the fourth. Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore had been pitching well up to that point, and he even got the first two strikeouts in the top of the inning.
However, he allowed a solo home run to Jose Altuve after punching out the first two batters he faced. But, with a 3-1 lead, the Rangers were still in control, and they had a response of their own in the fifth when Jung walked and Brandon Nimmo hit a triple to bring him across home plate.
A dogfight
Texas went into the sixth leading 4-1, but Houston was not going to let up.
In the seventh, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker had already gone to his bullpen and called on Robby Ahlstrom to be the third reliever of the night. That decision worked against them, as the Astros batting order began attacking Ahlstrom.
It began with a one-out single by Lamonte Wade Jr. before Zach Dezenzo delivered a single of his own. With two runners on, Schumaker went back to his bullpen again and put Peyton Gray on the mound.
But Gray walked Yainer Diaz to load the bases, and a sacrifice fly from Jeremy Pena made it a 4-2 game. After Gray intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez, he allowed a two-out, two-RBI single to Isaac Paredes that tied the game.
To make matters worse, the Rangers not only lost their lead, but began to trail in the eighth inning after Ben Peoples allowed a solo home run to Cam Smith. Whatever comfort Texas had from its previous advantage was gone, and it needed to mount a response.
It did.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kyle Higashioka belted a solo home run to left field that tied the game at 5-5. Then, after Wyatt Langford and Jung hit singles to begin the bottom of the ninth, Nimmo delivered a walk-off RBI single to win the game for the Rangers.
Texas will enjoy the All-Star break before it kicks off the second half of the season with a three-game series on the road against the Atlanta Braves on July 17.
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