Starting Lineups:

Houston Astros (24-31):

1) Jeremy Peña (R) SS

2) Isaac Paredes (R) 3B

3) Yordan Álvarez (L) DH

4) Christian Walker (R) 1B

5) Taylor Trammell (L) LF

6) Cam Smith (R) RF

7) Braden Shewmake (L) 2B

8) Brice Matthews (R) CF

9) César Salazar (L) C

Starting Pitcher: RHP Jason Alexander (1-0, 7.30 ERA)

Texas Rangers (24-29):

1) Joc Pederson (L) DH

2) Alejandro Osuna (L) LF

3) Brandon Nimmo (L) RF

4) Josh Jung (R) 3B

5) Jake Burger (R) 1B

6) Evan Carter (L) CF

7) Ezequiel Durán (R) SS

8) Justin Foscue (R) 2B

9) Kyle Higashioka (R) C

Starting Pitcher: RHP Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.61 ERA)

Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX — In the second game of a four-game set, the Texas Rangers took down the Houston Astros 10-7 thanks to an 8-run first inning.

The Rangers needed a bounce-back game after last night, when they were no-hit by the Astros. The Rangers got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning in a big way; they scored 8 runs.

Alejandro Osuna reached base via a walk with one away, and one batter later, Brandon Nimmo reached with a base hit to right-center field to put two on with one away. Josh Jung would work a walk to load the bases.

Jake Burger would plate two with an RBI single to go ahead 2-0 over the Astros. Evan Carter would clear the bases with a two-RBI triple to put Texas up 4-0. One batter later, Ezequiel Duran would double to bring in Carter, to make it 5-0 Rangers.

Kyle Higashioka would be hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive, and Joc Pederson would launch a three-run homer to right field to put Texas ahead 8-0.

The Astros would get on the board in the top of the third inning via the long ball.

Brice Matthews dropped in a broken bat single over short to get on base in the top of the third inning. Jeremy Pena would work a walk to put two on with one away. Isaac Paredes would ground out, pushing two into scoring position for Houston.

One batter later, Yordan Alvarez would park one in the right-center field seats, a three-run bomb, to put Houston on the board, 8-3.

The Rangers would add on to their lead in the bottom of the third inning with a deep fly.

Carter found a pitch he liked and launched a ball to right field to put Texas up 9-3.

The Astros would scratch across a run in the top of the fourth inning via a walk.

Cam Smith grounded into a fielder’s choice to put one on with one out in the top of the fourth inning. One batter later, Braden Shewmake would notch a single through the right side to put runners at the corners with one out. Brice Matthews drew a walk to load the bases. Cesar Salazar would be hit by a pitch, bringing in a run to make it 9-4 Rangers.

The Astros would score again in the top of the eighth inning twice, thanks to two home runs — Alvarez hit his second homer of the game to deep right field to make it 9-5 Rangers. Smith would hit a deep fly to left field to make it 9-6, Rangers.

The Rangers would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

After Jake Burger reached on a fielder’s choice, and Evan Carter hit a single, Duran would plate Burger with an RBI single to make it 10-6.

The Astros would score in the top of the ninth — thanks to a home run from Jeremy Pena to center field, making it 10-7 Rangers.

Jack Leiter – photo courtesy of worldbaseballnetwork.com

The Good: After being no-hit by the Astros last night, the Rangers’ bats responded in a big way, exploding for 10 runs on 9 hits.

The Bad/The Ugly: Astro’s starter Jason Alexander had a rough outing — he surrendered 9 runs, eight of which came in the first inning. That said, he did manage to toss six innings after almost being knocked out of the game in the first inning.

-Matt Koper

Founder of Koper’s Korner