Chas McCormick’s eighth-inning, three-run triple was the difference in the Houston Astros’ 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas on Sunday afternoon.
With one out and the bases loaded, McCormick broke the 1-1 tie, driving a pitch from Josh Sborz to right field, as all three baserunners scored. McCormick went 2-for-4 in the win.
Hector Neris (4-2) earned the win for Houston with one scoreless inning and two strikeouts. Jose Abreu had three hits for the Astros.
Sborz (4-3) allowed three earned runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Reliever Aroldis Chapman made his debut for Texas, completing a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts. Andrew Heaney pitched five scoreless innings and struck out eight.
Nathaniel Lowe homered for the Rangers.
Texas generated offense early, as Corey Seager singled and Nathaniel Lowe followed with a double with one out in the first inning. Seager moved to third and scored on Adolis Garcia’s sacrifice fly.
Garcia stepped to the plate again in the third, with one out and runners on first and second. But Houston’s Alex Bregman fielded Garcia’s groundball and stepped on third base before throwing to first, and completing an inning-ending double play.
Houston tied the score at one in the sixth, set up by consecutive singles from Kyle Tucker and Abreu. With runners on the corners, Mauricio Dubon doubled to right field, scoring Tucker from third to tie it at 1.
The Astros had a chance to take the lead with two runners in scoring position and one out, but Rangers’ reliever Grant Anderson avoided any additional damage, recording a strikeout and flyout.
The Astros broke through two innings later. An Abreu single and Dubon walk with one out were followed by a walk to Corey Julks with two outs. That loaded the bases for McCormick, who tallied his first triple of the season.
Lowe’s two-run homer in the bottom of the inning cut the deficit to one, but Jose Altuve responded with a solo homer of his own for the Astros in the ninth. Ryan Pressly sent Texas down in order in the ninth for his 17th save.
Houston starter Shawn Dubin pitched four innings and allowed one run on two walks and three hits.
–Field Level Media