Postgame Notes: Astros 9, Rangers 2

TEXAS lost the final 2 G of this brief homestand against the Astros...played a series-deciding rubber game for a 4th straight series, dropping to 3-4 overall in rubber games with today's defeat...has gone 3-8 vs. HOU in 2022.

COREY SEAGER hit his 13th home run in the 3rd inning, moving back into sole possession of the club lead…leads all MLB primary shortstops in HR, though today was his 4th career HR as a DH and 1st as a Ranger (other 3 in 2020 w/ LAD)…he is on pace for more than 30 HR this season, which would surpass his previous career high (26 HR in 2016)…only other Texas shortstop to have 13+ HR through 62 team games is Alex Rodriguez (in 3 straight seasons, 2001-03)…Seager has 10 HR in 30 G at Globe Life Field this season.

ADOLIS GARCIA went 2-for-3 for his 18th multi-hit game, tied with Nathaniel Lowe for most among Rangers...extended his hit streak to 7 G, 2nd-longest of his career (9 G, 5/2-10/21) and one shy of the Texas season-best (8 G, Seager/Lowe)…also recorded his 10th stolen base...entering today, the only players with 10+ HR and 10+ SB this season were CLE's Jose Ramirez, MIA's Jazz Chisholm Jr., and HOU's Kyle Tucker.

TYSON MILLER recorded just 2 outs and allowed 6 runs in the 1st inning as the starter in a bullpen game for Texas…shortest outing by a Texas starter since Taylor Hearn on 6/22/21 vs. OAK (0.2 IP, 4 R-ER)…marked 4th career Major League appearance/2nd career start and 2nd appearance/1st start as a Ranger...only other ML start came in Game 2 of a doubleheader 8/17/20 vs. STL w/ CHC (2.0 IP, 2 R-ER).

CHARLIE CULBERSON worked a scoreless 9th inning in his 7th career mound appearance, lowering his career ERA to 1.42 (1 ER/6.1 IP) and extending his scoreless streak to 5.1 IP...marked his 3rd mound appearance as a Ranger, setting a new club record for a position player (24th overall instance).

HOUSTON won final 2 games in Arlington to take a 7th consecutive series against the Rangers dating back to 2021 (7-0-0)...Astros lead season series 8-3 and have a 22-8 edge since start of 2021...current 9.5-game lead in the A.L. West matches largest of the season.

IMMACULATE DECEPTION: Two Astros pitchers posted an "immaculate inning" in today's game, the first time in MLB history for one game to feature 2 instances...both Luis Garcia (2nd inning) and Phil Maton (7th inning) posted 9-pitch, 9-strike, 3-strikeout "immaculate innings", retiring the same 3 Texas batters in their record-setting efforts (Nathaniel Lowe/Ezequiel Duran/Brad Miller)...the Garcia/Maton innings are just the 2nd and 3rd "immaculate innings" in MLB in 2022, also NYY's Nestor Cortes on 4/17/22...there are now 105 known instances in MLB history...no HOU pitcher had posted an "immaculate inning" since Will Harris on 9/27/19.

BIG FIRST: The Astros scored 6 runs in the 1st inning today, 4th time this season for HOU to have 6+ runs in a single frame...it marked the biggest opening inning for Houston since a 6-R 1st inning on 7/26/21 at SEA.

LUIS GARCIA posted a quality start for 3rd time in his last 4 outings, earning win to end span in which he had gone 0-4 over his last 5 starts...matched career high with 9 K's (4th time, last 5/12 at MIN...was 1st win since 5/12 at MIN...is 1-2, 3.47 (9 ER/23.1 IP) in his last 4 starts...has won each of his 3 career starts vs. Texas: 3-0, 1.65 (3 ER/16.1 IP).

MISCELLANEOUS: Kolby Allard worked 5.0 IP in relief, the longest relief outing of his career and longest for Texas in 2022…Martín Maldonado hit a 442-foot HR in the 4th inning, the 3rd-longest HR of his career according to Statcast (hit 447-ft. HRs in both 2016 & 2017).

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