Semien Reaches Milestone as Rangers Defeat Astros 5-1
Marcus Semien celebrated a career milestone on Sunday, hitting his 250th home run as the Texas Rangers secured a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros. Adolis García also contributed with a home run, while Nathan Eovaldi delivered a stellar performance on the mound.
Eovaldi (7-3) showcased his skills, allowing just five hits and one run over 7 2/3 innings, striking out eight batters. This win marked his third consecutive victory, solidifying his role as a key player for the Rangers.
On the other side, Houston's Hunter Brown (9-4) struggled, giving up five hits and four runs in five innings, despite recording eight strikeouts. This loss was particularly tough for the All-Star pitcher, who had previously allowed a season-high six runs in his last outing against Cleveland.
The scoring began in the second inning when Wyatt Langford walked and later crossed home plate on Evan Carter's triple, putting Texas ahead 1-0. The lead extended to 2-0 when Ezequiel Duran hit a ground-rule double, allowing Carter to score.
García's impressive form continued as he hit his third home run in four games, increasing the Rangers' lead to 3-0 in the third inning with two outs.
In the fourth inning, Carter doubled again, and Kyle Higashioka's single set up Alejandro Osuna's sacrifice fly, bringing the score to 4-0.
The Astros managed to respond in the sixth inning when Zack Short hit a home run, narrowing the gap to 4-1.
Texas capitalized on Brown's struggles early, scoring two runs in the second inning and maintaining control throughout the game. Notably, García has now hit 20 home runs against the Astros since 2021, leading all players in that timeframe.
The Astros will kick off the second half of their season on Friday night against Seattle, while the Rangers are set to host Detroit on the same evening.
