Rangers Put Up 10-Spot Against Astros

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

May 26, 2026

Rangers 10, Astros 7

ARLINGTON, Texas (May 26) — The Texas Rangers put their 9–0 no-hit game from Monday behind them with a 10–7 win over the Houston Astros Tuesday night. One of the big factors in this victory was a three-run home run by Joc Pederson as part of an eight-run first inning. The Rangers will have an opportunity to take a 2–1 lead in this four-game set Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm Central at Globe Life Field. Righties Mike Burrows (2–6, 5.75 ERA) and Jacob deGrom (3–4, 3.86 ERA) will face each other in the third game of the series.

No-No to Ocho

The Rangers struck early in their half of the first against right-hander Jason Alexander. Alejandro Osuna drew a one-out walk and Brandon Nimmo singled to follow. Both runners moved up on a free pass to Josh Jung. On deck was Jake Burger who scored Osuna and Nimmo with a single to center. Evan Carter, up next, plated Jung and Burger with a triple, his second of the year. It rolled down the line in right where Cam Smith was a little slow throwing it to third. That brought Ezequiel Duran to the plate.

He drove in Carter with a double to center. After Justin Foscue flied to short, the Rangers’ training staff attended to Kyle Higashioka after he was hit by a pitch from Alexander. The lineup flipped over when Pederson came to the dish. He belted a three-run homer to right to give the Rangers an 8–0 lead. It was his fourth long ball of the year. According to the Elias Sports Bureau (h/t: Sarah Langs), the Rangers’ eight-run first inning was the second-most-prolific opening frame by any team in major league history immediately after being no-hit the game prior…the 1905 Chicago White Sox posted a nine-run first inning in the second game of a doubleheader against the Boston Americans after being no-hit in the first game on 9/27/1905.

Astros Respond

The Astros cut into the big lead in the top of the third off righty Jack Leiter. Brice Matthews started the frame with a single to left. After striking out Cesar Salazar swinging, Leiter issued a walk to Jeremy Peña. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a groundout to short by Isaac Paredes. Looming on deck was Yordan Alvarez, who blasted a three-run homer to right-center, his 17th of the season.

The Rangers tacked on another run in the bottom of the third. It came on a leadoff dinger to right by Carter, his sixth of the campaign.

The Astros inched closer in the top of the fourth. Taylor Trammell led off with a single to left. He made his way back to the Astros’ dugout a moment later when Smith grounded into a 6–4 force play. Braden Shewmake singled to right to advance Smith to third. Up next was Matthews, who drew a walk to load the bases. Salazar was hit by a pitch to force in Smith and shrink the lead to 9–4.

The Astros scored two more in the top of the eighth off reliever Jalen Beeks. The first came on a leadoff blast to right, the second Alvarez home run of the game. Their sixth run came on a two-out bomb to left-center by Smith, his fifth of the year.

The Rangers scored a final run in the bottom of the eighth off reliever AJ Blubaugh. Jung hit a single to left. Burger reached on a 3–6 force play. Carter singled to right, moving Burger to third. Duran scored Burger with a single to left.

What Went Right for the Rangers

The Rangers enjoyed their first eight-run stanza since August of 2025 on Tuesday. As previously mentioned, they batted around in that frame, allowing the crowd of 28,778 to exhale after the events of Monday. The home runs by Pederson and Carter were two of the key at-bats. Carter’s RBI triple also played a huge role in the win.

The Astros chipped away a final time in the top of the ninth off reliever Jacob Latz. It came on a one-out solo home run by Peña.

What Went Wrong for the Rangers

The Astros are currently without Jose Altuve in their lineup for the time-being as he is recovering from a Grade Two left oblique strain. They do, however, still have Alvarez at their disposal. He was a real problem for the Rangers in this contest. Alvarez had two home runs in this game to go along with Smith’s round-tripper in the eighth and Peña’s in the ninth.

Good Effort by Leiter

Righty Jack Leiter made his 11th start of the season, withstanding damage in the third and fourth to grind out a line of 6 IP (4 H, 4 R-ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 95 pitches/60 strikes). He earned his first victory since his inaugural outing of 2026 on March 30 against the Baltimore Orioles. Leiter snapped a streak of nine straight starts without a victory, which was the third-longest streak in the majors in ‘26 entering play Tuesday and the longest single-season span by a Ranger since Andrew Heaney in 2024. Leiter received a season-high nine runs of support, the second-highest total of his career and most for any Rangers starting pitcher this season. He now owns a record of 2–4 with an ERA of 4.75.

Despite giving up Peña’s blast in the ninth, Latz earned his sixth save of the year.

Alexander’s Evening

Any plans for the Summer of George had to be put on hold for Astros starter Jason Alexander on Tuesday. He was blitzed for eight runs in the bottom of the first but recovered to complete six frames. His final line was 6 IP, 6 H, 9 R-ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, career-high 100 pitches/67 strikes. It was the most runs allowed in the first by the Astros since Spencer Arrighetti on September 4, 2024 against the Cincinnati Reds. It was also the most against an Astros pitcher in the first since Hunter Brown on April 11, 2024 against the Kansas City Royals.

Alexander became first pitcher to cover six or more innings after ceding eight or more runs in the first since Mark Redman of the Colorado Rockies. This occurred on April 26, 2008 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alexander retired 16 of his last 17, including 12 straight to end the outing after Carter’s solo home run in the third. He shouldered the loss, bringing his record to 1–1 with an ERA of 9.33.

Schumaker’s Postgame Comments

After the game, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker gave his remarks on the Rangers’ bounce-back performance. “We have long nights in general, anyway,” he said. “I don’t want you to think that it was much different than any other night. … I think when you have a game like last night, it’s on us as a staff to come in and make sure that there’s not a carryover. It’s a new day, positive outlook, and we’re trying to figure out a way to win tonight, and also learn from what happened yesterday.”