Starting Lineups:

Houston Astros (24-32):

1) Jeremy Peña (R) SS

2) Yordan Álvarez (L) DH

3) Christian Walker (R) 1B

4) Taylor Trammell (L) LF

5) Cam Smith (R) RF

6) Braden Shewmake (L) 3B

7) Jake Meyers (R) CF

8) Brice Matthews (R) 2B

9) Christian Vázquez (R) C

Starting Pitcher: RHP Mike Burrows (2-6, 5.75 ERA)

Texas Rangers (25-29):

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) Danny Jansen (R) C

9) Nicky Lopez (L) 2B

Starting Pitcher: RHP Jacob deGrom (3-4, 3.86 ERA)

Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX — In the third game of a four-game set, the Houston Astros beat the Rangers 4-3 thanks to Yordan Alvarez’s hot hitting and a throwing error.

The Rangers would open the scoring in the bottom of the first inning.

Joc Pederson opened the game with a base hit up the middle in the bottom of the first. He reached second base on a wild pitch and would reach third on a fly ball out hit by Alejandro Osuna. One batter later, Brandon Nimmo would plate Pederson with an RBI base hit to right field to put the Rangers up, 1-0.

The Astros would respond in the top of the second inning, tying the game.

Taylor Trammell led off the top of the second with a double to right field. Trammell would tag up and advance to third on a deep fly ball from Cam Smith. One batter later, Braden Shewmake would hit an RBI sac fly to tie the game at 1 apiece.

The Rangers would break the tie in the bottom of the third, thanks to Pederson — he hit a solo shot, a no-doubter, to right-center field to put the Rangers up, 2-1. Pederson hit a home run in last night’s game against the Astros as well.

The Astros would tie the game up in the top of the fourth inning thanks to the hot-hitting Alvarez — he launched a homer to deep center field to tie the game at two apiece. Alvarez hit two home runs in last night’s game.

The Astros would take the lead in the top of the eighth inning thanks to, you guessed it, Alvarez, who hit a ball to deep center to put Houston ahead 3-2.

Later in the inning, after Christian Walker reached via a walk, a sac bunt from Trammell and a throwing error by Tyler Alexander allowed another run to score to put Houston up 4-2.

The Rangers would leave the yard again in the bottom of the eighth inning — thanks to another solo homer from Pederson to right-center field to make it, 4-3 Houston.

Jacob deGrom – photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated

The Good: Joc Pederson and Yordan Alvarez both left the yard twice — and both hit homers for the second game in a row. Alvarez’s two home runs, the second of which ended up being the difference in the game.

The Bad/The Ugly: Tyler Alexander surrendered the go-ahead run to Yordan Alvarez and erased what was a solid starting performance from Rangers’ starter Jacob deGrom. Additionally, a throwing error by Alexander in the eighth inning allowed another run to score for Houston.

-Matt Koper

Founder of Koper’s Korner