Jose Altuve hit home runs off Nathan Eovaldi in his first two turns at bat, and Cristian Javier pitched well for seven innings, leading the Houston Astros to an 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
After losing the first game of the series 12-8, the Astros won the next two games, bouncing back from a tough 4-11 start to the season. They now have a 4-3 record against their AL West rivals, the Texas Rangers.
Javier, with a record of 2-0, gave up only five hits and two runs while striking out five batters. This performance follows another solid pitching display by the Astros, which is a contrast to the poor outings their starters had in the previous three games.
In the ninth inning, Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer off Seth Martinez with two outs, narrowing Houston’s lead to 8-5. Josh Hader then struck out Corey Seager, sealing the win for the Astros.
This marked Altuve’s 11th multi-homer game, and he now has seven home runs against Eovaldi, the most he has hit against any pitcher.
“He’s a tough opponent,” Altuve commented about Eovaldi. “Sometimes you might hit a homer off him, but in the next game, he might strike you out three times. You never know with him.”
Altuve’s first homer came in the first inning, making it his 36th career leadoff home run, ranking third in Astros history. He struck again in the third inning, hitting another homer to extend the lead to 2-0. Altuve’s performance was crucial for the team’s morale, especially after their recent struggles.
“It’s always satisfying to contribute to the team’s success,” Altuve said. “We’re working hard to turn things around, and it feels good to make a difference.”
Altuve also had three hits in the game, maintaining his streak of reaching base safely in all 17 games this season.
Houston’s manager, Joe Espada, praised Altuve’s ability to consistently make solid contact with difficult pitches. “It’s impressive how he manages to connect with tough pitches,” Espada said. “He has been instrumental in our recent performances.”
