Rangers Can't Overcome Astros Bats, Lose 10th Straight
Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer in the third inning Friday night that helped push the Houston Astros past the Texas Rangers 7-3. It was the Rangers' 10th straight loss.
Yordan Alvarez hit an RBI single, Carlos Correa followed with an RBI grounder, Tucker fought past a nine-pitch at-bat, fouling off six in a row, before blasting his 18th home run of the year off Rangers' starting pitcher Kolby Allard into the bullpen in right-center field to push the score to 5-0.
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Tucker appears to be returning to form after missing almost a week due to an illness earlier this month.
Allard, already coming off his worst start since the season opener, allowed a season-high seven runs in four innings for his sixth loss in a row.
Astros starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi allowed four hits and three runs with six strikeouts and two walks in 4.2 innings. Brandon Bielak came on in relief and gave up just one hit in 2.1 scoreless innings, good enough for the win.
Nathan Lowe managed a two-run triple for the Rangers, who are now 0-7 at Minute Maid Park this season.
With one out in the fourth, Robel Garcia singled and Jose Altuve hit a double. Michael Brantley reached base on a fielder's choice that allowed Garcia to score and pushed Altuve to third.
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Altuve then scored on Yuli Gurriel's sacrifice fly to give the Astros a 7-0 lead.
Odorizzi held the Rangers scoreless until he ran into trouble in the fifth. With two outs, Brock Holt hit a double. Andy Ibanez walked and then Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to score Holt.
Lowe hit a triple to center field to score Ibanez and Kiner-Falefa to get the Rangers to within 7-3. Odorizzi's night was done. Bielak retired Adolis Garcia to end the threat.
In his major league debut, Rangers prospect Curtis Terry went 0-4 with two strikeouts.
The Rangers (35-63) remain in Houston to take on the Astros (59-39) in game two of the three-game series. Texas sends Kyle Gibson (6-2, 2.86 ERA) to the mound to face Houston's Framber Valdez (5-2, 3.26 ERA).
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