Joc Pederson capped an eight-run first inning with a three-run homer and the Texas Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-7 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
One night after three Houston pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter in a 9-0 victory in the series opener, Texas had five hits in the opening inning and wound up matching its season-high run total.
Evan Carter homered, tripled, doubled and drove in three runs for the Rangers, who sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning against Jason Alexander (1-1) and snapped the Astros’ four-game winning streak.
Houston hit four home runs, including a pair by Yordan Alvarez, who drove in four runs and has gone deep three times in the last two games. Cam Smith and Jeremy Pena each hit a solo homer.
Texas starter Jack Leiter (2-4) allowed four runs on four hits over six innings. He walked three and struck out four. Jacob Latz permitted one run over the final 1 1/3 innings for his sixth save.
The Rangers loaded the bases with one out in the first on two walks and a hit before Jake Burger singled in two runs. Carter followed with a two-run triple, and he scored on Ezequiel Duran’s double. With two on and two outs, Pederson belted an Alexander fastball 399 feet to right field.
Houston cut into the deficit with Alvarez’s three-run homer in the third before the Rangers added a run in the bottom half of the inning on Carter’s solo shot.
Alexander gave up nine runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts over six innings.
The Astros loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and pushed a run across when Cesar Salazar was hit by a pitch. Leiter retired the next two batters to escape further damage.
Alvarez hit a leadoff blast in the eighth inning, his team-high 18th homer of the season. The Astros pulled closer on Smith’s two-out, solo homer to the second deck in left-center field.
Texas responded with a run in the bottom of the eighth on Duran’s RBI single. Pena slugged his first home run of the season in the ninth inning for the final margin.
