HOUSTON, Texas — The long ball spoiled Jacob deGrom’s night on Saturday as the Houston Astros launched four home runs, including a towering shot from Yordan Alvarez, to hand the Texas Rangers a 4-1 defeat in the latest chapter of the Lone Star Series.
DeGrom entered the matchup looking to continue his strong stretch on the mound, but Houston’s lineup wasted little time attacking early counts and capitalizing on mistakes over the plate. Alvarez delivered the biggest blow with a solo homer that energized the Astros dugout and added to Houston’s relentless offensive pressure.
The Rangers ace battled through the outing, flashing his trademark velocity and strikeout stuff, but the Astros consistently found barrels against him. Houston’s power surge proved more than enough support for its pitching staff, which kept Texas’ bats quiet most of the night.
Texas struggled to generate sustained offense, managing just one run while leaving few opportunities to mount a comeback. The Rangers threatened at times but couldn’t produce the timely hit needed to shift momentum.
Houston now has a chance to complete a three-game sweep on Sunday. The Astros are expected to send right-hander Peter Lambert (2-3, 2.76 ERA) to the mound, while the Rangers counter with Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 4.15 ERA) as Texas looks to avoid being swept at home by its in-state rival.
