Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker slugged two-run home runs while Luis Garcia earned his first career victory as the Houston Astros claimed a 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
The Astros improved to 16-2 against Texas at Minute Maid Park since the start of the 2019 season and will go for the four-game series sweep -- and an 8-2 record on this homestand -- Sunday. The Astros have won five in a row.
Houston erased a 1-0 deficit with a four-run first inning, then labored to convert multiple opportunities with runners in scoring position before Tucker delivered his club-leading ninth homer off Rangers reliever Hunter Wood in the bottom of the seventh. Wood, after surrendering a leadoff double off the scoreboard in left field to Correa, fell behind in the count 3-1 to Tucker before grooving a fastball that Tucker promptly lined into the seats in right for a 6-1 lead.
The Astros were 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position before Tucker struck his blast.
Joey Gallo cranked a three-run homer, his seventh, in the eighth off Astros right-hander Ryne Stanek. Andy Ibanez added a run-scoring fielder's choice when Jose Altuve bounced a throw to first baseman Yuli Gurriel that would have resulted in an inning-ending double play.
But the Astros limited the Texas rally to four runs before Ryan Pressly earned his seventh save.
Houston seemed on its way to another offensive onslaught in the first inning when Alex Bregman produced a two-run single that scored Altuve and Aledmys Diaz. Three batters later, Correa golfed his sixth home run the opposite way to right. The Astros did their damage against Rangers right-hander Dane Dunning (2-3), who righted himself enough to strand Yordan Alvarez at third base in the third inning and two more runners in scoring position in his final frame, the fourth.
Houston stranded 11 baserunners total.
Garcia (1-3) allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
--Field Level Media
Texas | Houston | |
Dane Dunning | Player | Luis Garcia |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.0 | IP | 5.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 5 |
7 | Hits | 5 |
9.00 | ERA | 1.80 |
Texas | Houston | |
Joey Gallo | Player | Carlos Correa |
3 | Hits | 2 |
3 | RBI | 2 |
1 | HR | 1 |
6 | TB | 6 |
.750 | Avg | .667 |