Texas Rangers’ Joc Pederson celebrates a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers’ Wyatt Langford hits a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers’ Tyler Mahle pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Houston Astros’ Ronel Blanco pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve celebrates a hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Joc Pederson hits 2-run homer in the Rangers’ 5-1 victory over the Astros
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joc Pederson broke a tie with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Wyatt Langford hit a solo shot in a two-run seventh and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 5-1 on Saturday night.
Texas Rangers’ Joc Pederson celebrates a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joc Pederson broke a tie with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Wyatt Langford hit a solo shot in a two-run seventh and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 5-1 on Saturday night.
Tyler Mahle (5-1) allowed the one run over six innings, keeping his ERA at 1.47 — ranking third in the AL.
The Rangers have taken two of the first three games of the four-game series.
Pederson, hitting .123 with four RBI to that point as Texas’ primary DH this season, followed Marcus Semien’s one-out single off Ronel Blanco (3-4) with a drive to right-center for his second homer of the season.
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Langford’s homer off Bennett Sousa immediately followed Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly that scored Sam Haggerty. Haggerty led off with a walk and was picked off first base, but he reached third when first baseman Christian Walker threw low to second base.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead four batters in when Walker hit a 3-2 fastball for an opposite-field double to score Isaac Paredes.
Texas tied it in the third when Langford singled home Kyle Higashioka, who walked and reached third on Haggerty’s ground-rule double.
The Astros left seven runners on base and were 0 for 4 hitting with runners in scoring position.
Key moment
Haggerty was a late replacement in Texas’ lineup after Evan Carter was scratched with right quadriceps tightness.
Key stat
Three Rangers starters rank in the AL’s 10 top in ERA, Mahle joined by Nathan Eovaldi (fourth at 1.51) and Jacob deGrom (10th at 2.29).
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Up next
Astros LHP Framber Valdez (2-4, 3.54 ERA) was set to face Rangers rookie RHP Jack Leiter (3-2, 4.34) on Sunday in the series finale.
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