HOUSTON — The Texas Rangers spent most of Friday night searching for answers at the plate as Houston starter Spencer Arrighetti carried a no-hit bid deep into the game and led the Astros to a 2-0 victory in the series opener.
For seven tense innings, the Rangers’ lineup struggled to generate any rhythm against Arrighetti, whose mix of velocity and late movement kept Texas hitters off balance from the opening pitch. The right-hander did not allow a hit until the eighth inning, when Texas finally broke through to end the no-hit threat.
Despite the loss, the Rangers received another strong outing from their pitching staff, keeping the game within reach throughout the night. Texas limited Houston to just two runs, but the offense never found the timely hit needed to shift momentum.
The Rangers had a handful of opportunities to apply pressure late, but Houston’s bullpen shut the door and preserved the shutout. Texas also continued to battle through a stretch where run production has been inconsistent against division rivals.
Now the focus quickly turns to Saturday’s matchup, where the Rangers will hand the ball to ace Jacob deGrom. DeGrom enters with a 3-2 record and a 2.62 ERA as Texas looks to even the series against Houston right-hander Kai-Wei Teng, who is 1-3 with a 3.12 ERA this season.
