Yordan Alvarez hit his second home run in as many games, along with two other hits, as Houston came back from an early deficit to defeat the Texas Rangers 10-5 on Monday night. This win came after the Astros’ planned starting pitcher, Framber Valdez, was unable to play due to elbow soreness.
Victor Caratini, batting ninth, also contributed with a three-run homer as the Astros split the four-game series with their AL West rivals. Seth Martinez earned the win after pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, following Blair Henley’s struggles.
Henley, making his MLB debut in place of Valdez, faced difficulties, allowing five runs before recording an out.
Despite the rocky start, the Astros’ bullpen stepped up, with Tayler Scott, Brandon Bielak, and Bryan Abreu combining for six scoreless innings. Manager Joe Espada praised their performance, emphasizing the importance of their contributions to the team’s victory.
Alvarez’s home run narrowed the gap to 5-4, followed by an RBI double in the fourth to tie the game. Kyle Tucker then gave the Astros the lead with a two-run single. Andrew Heaney started for the Rangers but was replaced by Brock Burke after Alvarez’s double.
