Astros Toss Combined No-Hitter against Rangers

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

May 25, 2026

Astros 9, Rangers 0

ARLINGTON, Texas (May 25) — The Texas Rangers received a rude welcome home from their recent nine-game road trip with a 9–0 loss to the Houston Astros Monday night. It brings their current losing streak to four games. Christian Walker drove in three runs for the Astros on a home run in the seventh inning. The Astros also used three pitchers to combine for an unexpected no-hitter. The Rangers will get a fresh start Tuesday as they aim to even this three-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm Central at Globe Life Field. Right-hander Jason Alexander (1–0, 7.30 ERA) will get the ball for the Astros, and righty Jack Leiter (1–4, 4.61 ERA) will toe the slab for the Rangers.

Three-Run Fifth for Astros

The Astros started their scoring early in the top of the first off right-hander Kumar Rocker. Rocker hit leadoff hitter Jeremy Peña with a pitch, and Peña promptly stole his second base of the year. He moved to third when Issac Paredes grounded to first. Up next was Alvarez who scored Peña with a sacrifice fly to center.

They scored again in the top of the fourth. Yordan Alvarez led off with a line-drive homer to center on the first pitch he saw, his 16th of the season.

In the top of the fifth, the Astros added two more to the board. Zach Dezenzo drew a leadoff walk, and Nick Allen followed with a single to right, nudging Dezenzo to third. That brought Christian Vazquez to the plate. He drove in Dezenzo with a bunt single that rolled back to Rocker, whose throw home was not in time. Allen scored shortly after thanks to a sharp single to right by Peña.

The Astros pushed across five more runs against reliever Peyton Gray in the top of the seventh. Vazquez hit a leadoff single up the middle and Peña went to first on his second hit-by-pitch of the evening. Two batters later, Walker blasted a three-run shot to left-center, his 15th of the campaign.

Jake Meyers followed by reaching first on a fielding error by shortstop Michael Helman. Cam Smith reached on a second consecutive miscue by Helman, this one a throwing error to first. The Rangers challenged what appeared to be a close play, but it was upheld. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a single to left by Brice Matthews. Up next was Allen, who scored Smith and Matthews with a single to left to give the Astros a 9–0 lead.

What Went Right for the Astros

First and foremost, the Astros held the Rangers to no hits.

Secondly, the Astros helped their cause offensively with four of their runs coming on the long ball. Alvarez and Walker both connected on pitches that were in the heart of the strike zone, digging the Rangers’ hole deeper by the inning. They were able to take advantage of two errors by Helman in the seventh as well.

What Went Wrong for the Astros

The only thing that went wrong for the Astros was that the game had to end at some point.

Rocker Tosses Five

Rangers starter Kumar Rocker slipped to 2–5 on the year, allowing four runs across five innings in his first career start against the Astros. His line was 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 85 pitches/52 strikes. Rocker had allowed three or fewer runs in each of his first 12 career starts at Globe Life Field entering Monday, which was a franchise record in a pitcher’s first 12 career home starts. The run he surrendered in the first ended a career-high personal scoreless streak of 12 2/3 innings. Rocker has allowed one or more runs in the first during seven of his nine starts in 2026.

Combined No-No

Astros starter Tatsuya Imai held the Rangers scoreless over six stanzas, his longest outing of the year, to pick up his second win in the sixth start of his career. Although the former NPB All-Star did not allow a hit, he matched a season high with four walks. Three of those walks came in the first, but he managed to avoid damage by inducing a Brandon Nimmo double play and an Evan Carter fly-out.

Three Astros pitchers — Imai, Steven Okert, and Alimber Santa — combined to no-hit the Rangers Monday, marking the 17th regular season no-hitter in Astros history and first since Ronel Blanco’s effort on April 1, 2024 against the Toronto Blue Jays. It is also the fourth combined no-no in club history. Monday was the first no-hitter in baseball overall since September 4. 2024 when the Chicago Cubs faced the Pittsburgh Pirates. The four strikeouts by Astros pitchers in this one were the second-fewest in a no-hitter in team history. Monday was the third-ever no-hitter at Globe Life Field, the most at any venue since its 2020 opening.

Schumaker’s Postgame Comments

After the game, a baffled Skip Schumaker met with reporters to discuss Monday’s outcome. “I thought it was going to be different than what it became,” he remarked. “We walked three times in the bottom of the first and didn’t score. I thought we were at least going to have a crooked number. Their starter set the tone, and it was one of those days where you can’t stop shaking your head, more out of confusion than anything else. Again, we had guys on base via the walk and no contact. Joc (Pederson) had a hard-hit ball but it found a glove in the outfield. All we can do is try again tomorrow.”