HOUSTON – Chas McCormick homered with a career-high six RBIs before a tiebreaking RBI single by Yainer Díaz with one out in the ninth lifted the Houston Astros to a 10-9 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night.
The victory moves Houston within 2 games of the Rangers, who lead the AL West.
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“That was the win of the year so far,” manager Dusty Baker said.
Rookie Alex Speas (0-2) walked Kyle Tucker to start the ninth before McCormick walked with one out. Díaz then lined his single to right field and Tucker slid in just before the tag to set off Houston’s celebration.
The play was reviewed and upheld.
Ryan Pressly (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
The Rangers led 9-6 when Aroldis Chapman walked consecutive batters with one out in the seventh before McCormick connected on a three-run shot to left-center to tie it.
McCormick is batting .412 with five homers, 14 RBIs and a 1.405 OPS since the All-Star break.
“I just feel like I'm starting to catch my stride a little bit,” he said. “I feel great. I just want to try any way to help this team win, and I hope we can keep the momentum going and keep winning.”
Josh Jung and Josh H. Smith both homered for the Rangers, who have dropped three of their last four after winning six straight after the break.
“We couldn’t hold the lead and that’s too bad,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “These guys fought so hard. The offense, what a great job they did. We just walked too many guys. That came back to haunt us.”
It was tied at 6 entering the seventh before Travis Jankowski singled and moved to second on an error by Jake Meyers on the play. Nathaniel Lowe walked before a single by Jung.
Phil Maton then walked Jonah Heim to give Texas a 7-6 lead and end his night.
Ryne Stanek took over and retired Duran before his bases-loaded walked of Mitch Garver sent home another run. The Rangers extended the lead to 9-6 on a sacrifice fly by Leody Taveras.
Texas starter Jon Gray allowed seven hits and six runs with six strikeouts in five innings to remain winless since June 2.
Houston’s Brandon Bielak gave up six hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Lowe walked with two outs in the first before Jung’s 20th home run made it 2-0.
Mauricio Dubón and Alex Bregman hit consecutive singles to start Houston’s first before Kyle Tucker walked to load the bases. Gray then walked José Abreu to send a run home and cut the lead to 2-1.
McCormick then smacked a double to center filed to score two and put the Astros up 3-2. There was one out in the inning when Jeremy Peña grounded out to score Abreu and push the lead to 4-2.
Bielak walked Brad Miller and Taveras with one out in the second. Smith then reached on a fielding error by Abreu that allowed Miller to score to get Texas within 4-3. An RBI single by Jankowski with two outs tied it before Lowe’s single put the Rangers on top 5-4.
Smith sent Bielak’s first pitch of the fourth inning to the seats in right field to make it 6-4.
Bregman and Tucker both singled with no outs in the fifth before a walk by Abreu loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly by McCormick scored Bregman before a sacrifice fly by Díaz sent another run home to tie it at 6-all.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: OF Adolis García was out for a second straight game after being hit on the right hand by a pitch Saturday. Bochy said García still couldn’t grip a bat and that he was day to day.
Astros: Baker said DH Yordan Alvarez is doing well and could come off the injured list in the next day or two. Alvarez hasn’t played since injuring his right oblique June 8. … 2B Jose Altuve worked out on the field before Monday’s game and Baker said he might not need to go on a rehabilitation assignment before returning. Altuve hasn’t played since injuring his left oblique during batting practice July 4.
UP NEXT
RHP J.P. France (5-3, 3.13 ERA) starts for Houston when the series continues Tuesday night. The Rangers haven’t announced a starter.
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